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THE    OSTRICH 


FOR  THE 


DEFENCE 


BY 

WILLIAM   H.   HILE 


BOSTON 

PRESS   OF   GEO.    H.   ELLIS  CO. 

I912 


Copyright  1912, 

BY 

WILLIAM    H.  HILE 


All  rights  reserved 


^a  iHn  JFrunit 


THE  EMINENT  MASSACHUSETTS  INSTITUTE  OF  TECHNOLOGY  PROFESSOR 

WITH  WHOM  I  TRAVELLED  OVER  THE  WORLD 

STUDYING  THE  PROBLEMS  OF  GEOLOGY  AND  OF  MEN 


PREFACE 

The  following  pages  have  been  written  that  those 
who  read  them  may  be  both  entertained  and  drawn 
closer  to  the  increasing  number  of  men  and  women 
who  have  found  co-operation  to  be  "The  Lighted 
Way"  to  a  true  freedom  of  living. 

Although  I  have  devoted  considerable  time  and 
service  to  gaining  an  understanding  of  this  principle, 
I  shall  be  amply  repaid  for  all  that  it  has  cost  if  so 
much  as  a  single  step  forward  shall  have  been  made 
possible  for  him  who  longs  to  realize  the  joy  that  ac- 
companies harmonious  work  with  others  and  the  re- 
ward it  brings. 

My  characters  have  been  chosen  from  among  those 
I  have  known,  and  the  action  in  the  narrative  is 
based  largely  upon  episodes  in  my  own  experience. 

These  pages  will,  I  trust,  also  serve  to  dispel  the 
charge  of  being  mysterious  brought  against  me  by 
some  of  my  friends  because  of  the  silence  which  I 
have  maintained  concerning  my  frequent  journeyings 
around  the  world. 

The  Author. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  Page 

I.    The  Call  of  the  Ages i 

II.    The  Sheik's  Revelation 15 

III.  The  Blight  of  a  Panic 31 

IV.  The  Spirit  of  Merle  Water 41 

V.    The  Crisis 58 

VI.    A  Crusade  that  failed 73 

VII.    Max  Muckrakes 91 

VIII.    Clarissa loi 

IX.    An  Adventure  with  Bears 115 

X.    "The  Hour  will  come" — 134 

XL    Transferring  a  Charge 150 

XII.    On  the  Wrong  Track 160 

XIII.  Some  Evils  and  a  Cure 170 

XIV.  "I  FORBID  YOU,  Monsieur"     183 

XV.    Alone  in  the  Desert 188 

XVI.    The  Great  Queen 202 

XVII.    Zar's  Philosophy 216 

XVIII.    A  Truth  made  Real     229 

XIX.    Killing  a  Man-eater 240 

XX.    A  Jungle  Battle 259 

XXI.    Among  the  Cannibals 269 

XXII.    Dodging  the  Powers 283 

XXIII.  Fulfilment 301 

XXIV.  Appendix 317 

vii 


THE    OSTRICH 

FOR   THE  DEFENCE 


THE  CALL  OF  THE  AGES 

It  was  a  day  anachronous  in  Palestine,  when  tourist 
and  Turk  alike  kept  under  cover,  leaving  the  muddy, 
torrent-stricken  streets  to  stray  beggars,  barefooted 
camel  drivers  and  an  occasional  Moslem  guard,  hug- 
ging the  building  walls  as  he  strode  past. 

Peter  Stuyvesant  Rutledge,  sitting  with  his  feet 
extended  before  a  small  open  fire  in  the  lobby  of  a 
hotel  at  Jerusalem,  found  the  psychology  of  this  par- 
ticular morning  distinctively  oppressive. 

Sailing  from  New  York  on  his  thirtieth  birthday, 
he  had  arrived  in  Jerusalem  after  a  novel  and  some- 
what adventurous  six  months'  tour  of  the  East  during 
which  his  companion,  for  the  most  part,  had  been  a 
Bedouin  guide,  and  his  method  of  locomotion  a  camel. 
He  was  clear-eyed  and  sun-tanned,  so  brown  as  to 


THE    OSTRICH 

almost  outrival  the  bronze-faced  Arab  who  had 
accompanied  him. 

Following  a  breakfast  of  grapes,  rolls  and  black 
coffee,  the  downpour  in  the  streets,  unexpected  after 
so  many  glorified  days  in  Palestine,  had  given  him 
the  blues,  which  in  the  temperamental  so  often  in- 
duces a  sense  of  impending  events.  Inherently  an 
optimist,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  was  unable 
to  shake  off  a  premonition  that  something  unusual 
was  about  to  occur.  What  it  was  he  could  not  guess, 
and  it  annoyed  him.  He  yawned;  he  rose  from  his 
chair,  and  with  hands  thrust  deep  in  his  pockets, 
strode  up  and  down  the  hall;  he  sent  a  little  Arab 
boy  scurrying  out  into  the  rain  to  fetch  cigarettes; 
he  read  the  week-old  papers  lying  about;  he  stared 
out  of  the  windows  at  the  soppy  and  bedraggled  look- 
ing passers;  and  finally  he  went  back  to  his  seat  by 
the  blaze.  There  he  had  settled  down  to  his  tobacco 
and  book  in  gloomy  silence  when  the  sight  of  a 
woman's  figure,  clad  in  a  gray  travelling  gown, 
entering  from  the  corridor,  brought  him  to  his  feet 
with  an  exclamation  of  boyish  surprise  and  delight. 

"Agatha!" 

The  woman,  who  had  instantly  caught  sight  of 
him,  came  swiftly  forward,  stretching  out  both  slim, 
white  hands  toward  his  brown  ones. 

"It's  Peter,  bless  my  soul!  Did  you  drop  from 
the  clouds?"  and  Agatha  Van  Siddons,  his  god- 
mother, and   the  woman   who,   since    his   mother's 


THE     CALL    OF    THE    AGES 

death  when  he  was  a  baby,  had  filled  Lucia  Rutledge's 
place  as  few  women  could  have  done,  beamed  a  joy- 
ous and  affectionate  greeting  upon  him. 

He  hastened  to  draw  another  seat  up  to  the  fire. 

^'I  got  in  from  Damascus,  last  night,"  he  said. 
"And  you — " 

"Alicia  and  her  father  are  with  me." 

"What  luck!"  he  cried. 

"Ann  and  I  met  them  while  shopping  in  Naples 
and  as  we  all  meant  to  see  Gethsemane  and  the 
Sepulchre,  we  came  on  together." 

"Ann" — he  looked  puzzled. 

"Ann  Newman,"  she  repKed.  "She's  a  New  York 
state  girl  of  German  parentage  who  has  been  studying 
pianoforte  in  Berlin.  After  one  or  two  public  per- 
formances there,  the  papers  mentioned  her  as  '  The ' 
Fraulein  Newman.  Herr  Schlafier  handed  her  over 
to  me  as  a  sort  of  protegee: 

"'We  can  teach  her  no  more  here.  She  is  the 
Find  of  the  season.  Take  her  back  to  New  York 
where  your  countrymen  can  bestow  on  her  the  praise 
that  her  genius  deserves,'  were  his  words.  That  was 
unbehevable  praise  from  such  a  famous  teacher.  But 
Ann  is  indeed  a  remarkable  girl. 

"Then  I  met  her  and  loved  her  for  her  own  sake. 
I  was  glad  enough  to  take  her  with  me.  She's  our 
own  kind,  Peter.  Her  father  and  mother  were  of 
that  sturdy  descent  that  caused  New  York  to  be 
named  the  Empire  State. 


THE     OSTRICH 

"But  neither  her  beauty  nor  her  talents  are  alto- 
gether the  reason  for  her  charm.  There's  something 
deeper  and  more  profound  than  either  looks  or  art 
in  her  life,  that  draws  you  to  her.  Her  creed  embraces 
the  idealism  of  the  altruist  and  the  unselfishness  of 
the  true  humanitarian.  She  believes  that  an  inspi- 
rational power  actuates  her,  and  sometimes  when 
you  feel  her  giving  of  her  best,  wakening  the  recesses 
of  your  soul  with  the  divine  touch  of  her  fingers,  you 
are  convinced  that  it's  not  an  obsession,  after  all." 

Peter  had  listened  in  astonishment.  Such  praise 
from  his  conservative  godmother  was  unusual.  He 
knew  Agatha  to  be  a  social  campaigner  of  many  sea- 
sons. Her  friends  were  almost  as  numerous  on  the 
Continent  as  in  America,  and  not  infrequently  she 
was  royalty's  guest  abroad.  But  she  loved  virtue, 
and  he  knew  that  Ann  Newman  must  be  indeed  a 
remarkable  girl. 

To  him,  the  coincidence  of  the  meeting  seemed 
almost  too  strange  to  be  real:  to  thus  discover,  in 
this  far  corner  of  the  world,  a  much-loved  instructor 
of  years  past,  who  had  more  than  once  jeopardized 
discipline  to  save  him  from  the  results  of  college 
escapades;  the  daughter,  with  whom  he  had  never 
ceased  to  correspond  since  those  same  ardent  days; 
and  Agatha,  whom  he  began  to  love  when  he  was  a 
drooiy,  squally,  pink  and  white  specimen  of  infant- 
hood  in  bib,  tucker  and  knitted  socks. 

There  was  a  wide  difference  between  him  and  his 


THE     CALL     OF     THE     AGES 

godmother.  Perhaps  fifty,  perhaps  a  little  more, 
she  was  still  slim,  well  rounded  of  figure  and  scarcely 
touched  with  age,  even  in  the  masses  of  her  sun- 
colored  hair  which,  with  her  finely  pencilled  eye- 
brows, slender  nose  and  beautiful  fingers  lent  her  an 
unmistakable  air  of  breeding.  She  had  always  be- 
longed to  the  ultra-conservative  class  and  in  spite  of 
the  publicity  which  her  movements  often  gained,  she 
hated  notoriety  with  all  her  soul.  Peter  often 
wondered  how  they  had  remained  such  good  com- 
panions, for  in  spite  of  an  ease  of  manner  inherited 
along  with  the  same  social  status  as  that  of  the 
woman,  he  was  palpably  untamed  and  filled  with 
enthusiasm.s,  ideals  and  a  restless,  strident  sort  of 
mascuHne  energy  much  at  variance  with  Agatha's 
code.  Yet  a  great  fondness  existed  between  them, 
and  neither  his  sister,  Helen,  nor  his  devoted  old 
Dad  was  able  to  comprehend  the  depths  of  his  nat- 
ure as  did  Agatha. 

At  last  they  were  interrupted  by  the  advent  of  a 
gray-eyed  slip  of  a  girl  and  a  pleasant-faced,  scholarly- 
appearing,  oldish  man,  both  of  whom  halted  in  amaze- 
ment at  beholding  Peter. 

The  latter's  pleasure  at  seeing  the  new-comers  was 
not  to  be  mistaken.  Since  freshman  days,  a  dozen 
years  back,  he  had  been  fond  of  Alicia  Seabury. 
Once,  after  a  particularly  wonderful  performance 
of  the  divinely  gifted  Melba,  in  *' Faust,"  his 
overwrought   emotions   had   found   expression   in   a 

5 


THE     OSTRICH 

marriage  proposal  which  the  nicely  balanced  Alicia 
had  declined  with  a  tact  so  subtle  that  Peter  com- 
pletely failed  to  understand  how  well  she  understood 
him. 

As  he  gave  his  hand  to  the  girl,  drinking  in  the  gay 
raillery  that  cloaked  her  surprise  and  turned  to  greet 
Professor  Seabury,  Peter  felt  that  he  had  quite  for- 
gotten his  premonition  of  a  previous  hour. 

Then,  while  he  stood  chatting  with  these  friends, 
his  glance,  directed  over  AHcia's  shoulder,  took  in 
the  figure  of  a  girl  descending  the  stairway  in  the 
gloomy  corridor,  and  imconsciously  his  attention  was 
arrested  by  a  haunting  sweetness  about  her  face  and 
the  gleaming  shadows  of  the  hair  above  it.  Without 
realizing  it,  his  eyes  followed  the  course  of  her  slender 
figure  across  the  room  to  where  Mrs.  Van  Siddons 
still  sat,  just  beyond  them. 

**Ah,  you  have  yet  to  meet  Ann!"  cried  Alicia, 
suddenly,  her  eyes  following  his  mystified  gaze. 
''Has  Mrs.  Van  told  you  of  her  wonderful  perform- 
ances in  Germany,  to  which  she  summoned  the  lame, 
the  halt,  the  blind,  and  the  little  children  from  the 
streets,  while  smart  Americans,  and  music-loving 
Germans  of  the  better  class  had  the  choice  of  staying 
away  or  mingling  with  the  great  unwashed?  It  must 
have  been  rich,  though  it  seems  perfectly  topical  of 
Ann." 

Then  he  heard  Agatha's  voice: 

"Peter,  here  is  some  one  I  want  you  to  know  and 

6 


THE    CALL    OF    THE    AGES 

be  very  nice  to."  He  smiled  as  he  covered  the  few 
steps  between  them. 

''This  is  Peter  Rutledge,  Ann  dear."  The  girl 
bowed. 

Peter  looked  into  her  uplifted  eyes.  He  had  never 
seen  a  woman  so  beautiful,  with  such  an  exquisite 
symmetry  of  face  and  form.  Her  hair  was  brushed 
straight  back,  a  radiant  mass  of  copperous  silk  which, 
even  amid  the  sombre  tones  of  the  room,  seemed  to 
catch  and  retain  the  flickering  lights  of  the  feeble 
hearth-blaze.  The  contour  of  her  face — a  perfect 
Mona  Lisa  type  he  thought — was  enhanced  by  the 
velvety  softness  of  her  skin,  a  delicately  chiselled 
nose  and  an  incarnadined  mouth  with  a  dazzling 
hint  of  a  droop  at  one  corner  of  the  lips. 

He  sought  to  conceal  his  admiration  with  an 
assumed  lightness  of  speech: 

"They  say  you  have  dared  to  set  Americans  in 
Germany  by  the  ears  with  a  new  kind  of  charity, 
Fraulein?" 

"Ann's  playing  long  ago  would  have  made  her  the 
favorite  of  royalty  had  she  not  insisted  upon  lavish- 
ing her  talent  upon  the  people  of  the  highways  and 
byways  instead  of  upon  their  royal  highnesses," 
put  in  her  chaperone,  affectionately. 

"You  have  your  defenders.  Knowing  them  well, 
I  am  ready  to  do  anything — even  implore  you — 
for  the  privilege  of  enjoying  your  gift,"  he  said,  his 
eyes  still  fixed  upon  the  girl. 

7 


THE    O  STRICH 

"Perhaps  I  will  play  for  you  to-night,"  she  replied. 
"But  you  must  not  call  it  a  gift.  It  is  only  a  loan — 
this  power  to  closely  touch  the  hearts  of  others. 
Do  not  think  me  a  poser  because  I  choose  to  play  to 
the  beggar  as  well  as  to  the  rich,"  she  added,  earnestly. 
"I  would  not  have  you  misunderstand.  Such  a  loan 
as  mine  is  either  a  power  for  good  or  for  evil,  and  I 
feel  that  I  can  do  the  most  good,  and  bring  the  most 
happiness  into  the  world  by  sharing  it  with  the  poor, 
the  unfortunate,  and  those  whose  lives  are  seldom 
made  brighter  by  music.  I  have  this  loan  to  answer 
for,  to  develop,  and  to  hand  on  to  others  in  the  most 
helpful  way  possible." 

As  the  girl  ceased  speaking  a  tense  silence,  for  a 
moment,  pervaded  the  group.  Then  the  tact  of  the 
oldest  woman  came  to  the  rescue  of  these  two  young 
people,  and  with  a  deft  interruption  and  a  renewal 
of  her  half-bantering  air,  Mrs.  Van  Siddons  appropri- 
ated Peter  again,  while  Alicia  Seabury  drew  her  arm 
through  that  of  Ann  and  moved  away  with  the  latter 
across  the  room. 

Late  that  afternoon  all  gathered  in  the  music-room 
of  the  hotel  where  Ann  was  to  play.  The  rain  had 
ceased.  A  pallid  opalescent  glow,  already  merging 
into  twilight  shadows,  hinted  at  the  fall  of  evening. 
This  sudden,  soft  beautifying  of  the  day  after  hours 
of  sodden  street  and  sky  turned  the  conversation 
upon  the  charms  of  the  East  and  the  multifold  monu- 
ments and  historic  spots  in  Jerusalem,  sacred  even 

8 


THE    CALL     OF    THE    AGES 

to  the  tourist,  because  of  their  claimed  association 
with  the  memory  of  Christ. 

Each  member  of  the  party  had  traversed  the  narrow 
streets  and  environs  of  this  world  Mecca,  drinking 
in  the  inspiration  of  that  hallowed  atmosphere  which, 
for  ages  past,  had  pervaded  sepulchre  and  mosque 
alike,  and  where,  amid  the  ever-changing,  ever- 
restless,  cosmopoKtan  throng  of  peoples,  the  Ethiopian 
and  the  flowing-robed  dweller  of  the  desert  mingled 
side  by  side  with  the  graceful  Greek,  the  Armenian, 
the  Russian  and  the  Jew.  All  had  visited  the  Holy 
Sepulchre,  and  regardless  of  the  doubt  cast  upon  the 
authenticity  of  its  sacred  traditions,  each,  for  a  time 
at  least,  had  been  thrilled  by  that  religious  fervor 
which  yearly  thronged  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  with 
a  host  of  pious  pilgrims. 

As  the  twihght  deepened,  an  uphfting  of  soul  not 
unlike  that  roused  by  the  charm  of  a  master's  brush 
or  the  silences  of  a  cathedral  nave  settled  itself 
upon  each  one  present.  Then  trembling  waves  of 
melody  flooded  the  room  as  Ann,  having  taken  her 
seat  at  the  piano,  touched  the  first  chords  of  Liszt's 
''Love  Dreams"  in  A-flat  major.  Each  hstener  felt 
himself  drawn  to  the  borderland  of  those  realms  in 
which  it  was  plain  that  Ann's  spirit  dwelt  when  such 
floods  of  passionate  harmony  gave  expression  to  her 

genius. 

As  Peter  sat  enthralled  by  the  exquisiteness  of  the 
interpretation,  a  strange  thing  happened.    At  first 

9 


THE     OSTRICH 

faint  and  far  off,  then  gradually  coming  nearer  until 
they  seemed  to  fill  the  whole  room,  angelic  voices 
took  up  the  words  of  the  piece  that  the  girl  was  play- 
ing and  wove  into  loveliness  of  melody  a  twofold 
intensity  of  emotion.  Amazed,  he  scanned  the  faces 
of  the  others.  All  eyes  were  focussed  upon  the  player. 
Evidently,  he  alone  heard  the  singing. 

Suddenly  Peter  felt  that  a  mysterious,  spiritual 
force  was  translating  itself  from  the  girl's  soul  to 
his.  Those  angel  voices — might  they  not  be  the 
voices  of  her  deep  consciousness  speaking  to  him! 
He  was  spell-bound.  Yet  impressed  though  he  was, 
he  did  not  realize  that  the  influence  of  that  hour  and 
what  it  held  was  to  change  his  whole  being,  that  the 
music  and  words  of  that  song  were  to  remain  engraven 
upon  his  memory  for  all  time: 

^'Oh  love,  Oh  love,  as  long  as  e'er  you  can; 
As  long  as  yet  you  may! 
Oh  love,  Oh  love,  as  long  as  yet  you  may; 

As  long  as  yet  you  may! 
The  hour  will  come — the  hour  will  come 
When  you  at  graves  shall  weep,  some  day. 
The  hour  will  come  when  you  at  graves  shall 
weep,  some  day." 

As  she  ceased  playing,  intense  stillness  pervaded 
the  room.  The  others  now  realized  that  something 
unusual  was  occurring.  The  girl's  spiritual  magne- 
tism thrilled  all.  Her  music  had  brought  tears  to 
every  eye. 

lO 


THE    CALL    OF    THE    AGES 

With  her  fingers  inert  in  her  lap,  Ann  turned 
slightly  in  her  seat  so  that  she  faced  Peter.  The 
others  found  themselves  looking  at  her  profile — a 
cameo  in  ivory  and  rose.  To  Peter  the  inspira- 
tional power  shining  in  her  dark,  lustrous  eyes  seemed 
to  pervade  her  head  as  with  a  halo.  It  was  as  if 
some  deeper  force  had  taken  possession  of  her — a 
force  not  unlike  that  which  must  have  inspired 
Raphael  in  his  portrayal  of  the  transfiguration. 

He  could  only  stare  into  the  widely  distended 
pupils  before  him,  his  fingers  pressing  the  arms  of 
his  chair  until  a  fine  of  white  grew  under  each  of  his 
nails.  Every  muscle  and  nerve  of  his  body  was  rigid. 
Alicia,  who  had  been  leaning  forward,  remained 
poised  and  listening  in  that  attitude.  Mrs.  Van 
Siddons,  seasoned  materialist  and  woman  of  the 
world  though  she  was,  found  herself  breathless  in  the 
thrall  of  the  girl,  while  the  older  man,  leaning  back 
motionless  in  his  chair,  seemed  to  have  lost  conscious- 
ness of  all  save  what  was  now  transpiring.  Shadows 
from  the  dying  embers  in  the  fireplace,  as  they 
flickered  upon  the  walls  in  quick  irregular  movements, 
accentuated  the  stillness.  A  breathlessness  seemed 
to  have  gathered  itself  there. 

Suddenly  Ann  began  to  speak: 

*'A  voice  from  the  infinite  calls  to  thee,  Peter 
Rutledge,  a  power  mightier  than  thought,  more  com- 
pelling than  life,  or  death  or  love.  It  summons  thee 
to  thy  destiny  through  these  mortal  lips. 

II 


THE     OSTRICH 

"A  mighty  task  is  laid  down  for  thee.  In  its  per- 
formance thou  art  to  be  an  ambassador  only,  through 
whom  this  Call  of  the  Ages  is  to  work  out  its  purpose. 

^'Heed  this  then:  Seek  the  truth!  Give  all  that 
thou  art  to  the  search!  Forego  all  thy  present 
pleasures!  Abandon  all  the  accustomed  idlenesses 
of  thy  life!     Merge  self  in  effort! 

**  Henceforth  thou  art  to  be  dedicated  to  a  new  era 
in  which  the  doctrine  of  man's  brotherhood  and  the 
Golden  Rule  are  to  bind  men's  hearts  and  sway  their 
purposes  and  in  which  the  religion  of  the  Nazarene, 
stripped  of  superficialities  and  the  veneer  of  dogma 
and  ceremonial,  shall  guide  the  world. 

*'  Search  everywhere !  Study  men !  When  the  time 
is  ripe  for  fulfilment,  thou  shalt  understand.  Then 
will  the  Call  of  the  Ages  speak  through  thee.  Thou 
shalt  be  its  servant  and  mouthpiece.  Men  hearing  its 
voice  through  thy  lips,  shall  understand. 

^'Then  shall  the  pathways  of  the  future  meet;  a 
new  world-kingdom  shall  spring  up  and  flourish. 
Truth  and  equity  between  men  shall  triumph,  for 
man  is  to  know  the  reality  of  peace  and  good  will  to 
all. 

*'It  is  to  be  the  era  of  co-operation  of  thought  and 
action.  Those  who  heed  its  call  shall  become 
mightier  than  potentates  and  rulers. 

"This  sign  is  given  to  thee  in  thy  task:  Study 
the  ostrich — the  mighty  desert  bird! 

"The  spirit  now  speaking  to  thee,  shows  me  a  sacred 

12 


THE    CALL    OF    THE    AGES 

scroll,  and  as  it  unfolds  I  see  upon  it  the  likeness  of 
this  mysterious  bird,  and  beneath  a  message  reads: 
'  The  Ostrich  is  the  Key  to  the  future  Development  of 
all  Mankind.'' 

'^  The  spirit  has  spoken !  It  is  thus  decreed  for  thee. 
It  is  Destiny.  Seek  not  to  shun  its  summons.  Es- 
cape is  impossible.  If  thou  shirk  the  task,  oblivion 
will  engulf  thee." 

As  the  girl  ceased  speaking,  Peter  felt  a  revolution 
of  mind  and  soul  going  on  within.  Each  sentence 
as  it  fell  from  Ann's  lips  had  added  to  a  new  motive 
force  that  now  drove  the  blood  racing  through  his 
arteries  and  seemed  suddenly  to  have  illumined  all  the 
hidden  places  within  him.  The  message,  a  little  com- 
plex and  unreal  to  the  others,  seemed  to  him  a  divine 
injunction.  He  questioned  its  portent  no  more  than 
he  doubted  his  existence. 

The  ensuing  hush  was  again  broken  by  the  girl's 
voice,  this  time  quite  natural  in  tone,  but  clearly 
denoting  perplexity: 

*'What  has  happened?"  As  if  suddenly  pro- 
pelled to  life,  Mrs.  Van  Siddons  rose  from  her  seat, 
hastily  crossed  the  room,  and  gently  placed  an  arm 
around  Ann's  shoulder. 

^'You  have  been  talking  of  strange  things,  my 
dear,"  was  all  she  could  find  to  say  for  the  moment. 
The  girl  looked  at  her  puzzled. 

*'We  are  none  of  us  quite  sure  what  you  meant. 
I  think  that  you  are  overwrought." 

13 


THE    O  STRICH 

Then  Peter  spoke: 

''You  have  given  me  a  message,  Fraulein,  the 
strangest  message  in  the  world." 

Ann  rose,  and  disregarding  the  older  woman's 
solicitude,  took  the  chair  beside  Peter. 

''Tell  me  all  that  has  happened,"  she  commanded. 
He  repeated,  almost  word  for  word,  her  mystical 
utterances,  also  telling  her  and  the  others  of  the 
angel  voices  and  the  verse  they  sang  while  she  played. 
Far  from  showing  surprise,  when  she  had  grasped  the 
full  import  of  his  words,  she  said: 

"Is  it  then  so  strange?  I  have  always  felt  that  a 
power  greater  than  my  conscious  self  inspired  my 
playing.  Might  not  that  same  power  speak  through 
my  lips  to  you?" 

"But  the  ostrich?"  he  interposed,  "what  has  that 
to  do  with  it  all?" 

"That  is  the  riddle  which  you  must  solve,"  she 
answered. 


14 


n 

THE  SHEIK'S  REVELATION 

A  CERTAIN  finality  in  Ann's  reply  caused  Peter  to 
look  searchingly  into  her  face.  At  once  he  under- 
stood that  she  regarded  the  message  as  a  sacred 
injunction,  the  fulfilment  of  which  lay  upon  him, 
alone. 

^' Shall  you  turn  sociologist?"  asked  his  godmother, 

laughingly. 
Before  he  could  reply,  Professor  Seabury  spoke: 
"It's  plain  that  Fraulein  Newman  was  inspired  by 
a  psychic  force  for  which  neither  science  nor  religion 
has  yet  been  able  to  satisfactorily  account.  The 
world  is  constantly  receiving  fresh  evidences  of  such 
phenomena.  We  no  longer  ridicule  them,  for  we 
now  feel  certain  that,  to  a  degree,  they  influence 
human  affairs.  The  main  question  is:  what  weight 
shall  we  give  them? 

"Let  Peter  confer  upon  his  misgivings,  if  he  has 
any,  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  Let  him  go  ahead. 
No  harm  can  be  done.  This  injunction  may  indeed 
lead  to  the  beginning  of  a  world  upheaval.  We  are 
coming  to  a  new  order  of  affairs.  Far-sighted 
students  believe  that  its  advent  is  close  at  hand. 

IS 


THE     O  STRICH 

Great  opportunities  have  been  born  of  incidents 
which  seemed  insignificant  at  first,  because  men 
failed  to  divine  their  deeper  potency.  Behef  is  what 
we  all  need,  belief  in  ourselves  and  our  purposes." 

"It  rests  with  Mr.  Rutledge  to  determine  whether 
the  message  has  struck  a  responsive  chord  in  his 
heart,"  said  Ann. 

''I  shall  assuredly  determine  how  much  it  all 
implies,  no  matter  how  great  the  cost  may  be,"  was 
Peter's  answer. 

*'But  how  can  you  do  that?"  broke  in  Alicia. 
"Aren't  wx  taking  Ann's  words  all  too  seriously? 
Aren't  we  making  too  much  of  them,  as  if  a  great 
deal  depended  upon  this  message?  Isn't  it  all  being 
made  too  significant  to  you?" 

Peter  spread  out  his  hands  in  mock  gravity: 

"Here  entereth  our  little  skeptic.  Weren't  you 
impressed?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  she  replied,  "I  don't  think  anyone  could 
have  listened  to  Ann  and  doubted  what  she  was 
saying  was  out  of  the  ordinary.  But  for  all  that 
I'm  not  imaginative  enough  to  accept  a  mission  and 
give  my  entire  life  to  it  without  something  very 
definite  upon  which  to  base  my  resolves." 

"To  me,  nothing  could  be  more  definite,"  said 
Peter.  "Fraulein  herself  doesn't  understand  the 
full  nature  of  what  she  has  revealed.  None  of  us 
do.  But  just  now  it  seems  to  me  as  if  I  had  been 
pledged  to  a  lifelong  search  for  truth.     The  obligation 

i6 


THE    SHEIK'S    REVELATION 

is  as  binding  as  if  the  President  of  the  United 
States  had  sent  for  me  and  put  me  under  oath  to 
undertake  an  important  task  for  my  country.  In- 
deed, it  seems  as  if  this  were  a  cause  even  higher  than 
that,  for  it  promises  the  betterment  of  all  mankind." 

Alicia  was  silent. 

*'Well  said,"  came  the  voice  of  Professor  Seabury. 
^^Why  not  begin  your  self-imposed  mission  at  once? 
Cross  over  into  Africa — you  are  already  here  in  the 
old  world — and  investigate  the  ostrich.  We  will 
all  go  with  you,  and  while  you  are  finding  out  what 
the  bird  possesses  that  may  aid  you,  we  will  explore 
the  Nile  country." 

The  suggestion  was  approved  by  all,  and  before 
"good-nights"  wxre  exchanged  it  had  been  decided 
to  start  for  Egypt  the  following  day. 

Arriving  at  Port  Said,  the  five  friends  proceeded 
by  boat  to  Ismailia,  and  thence  by  train  to  Cairo 
where,  for  a  week,  numberless  excursions  were  made 
in  and  around  the  city,  Peter,  with  an  Arab  guide, 
conducting  the  three  women  and  sometimes  the 
Professor  through  the  bazaars,  flower-shops,  mosques, 
and  the  more  remote  quarters  of  this  strangely 
fascinating  and  exotic  metropolis.  There  were  trips 
to  the  Pyramids  and  the  Palace  Gardens  of  Giza,  a 
visit  to  Mohammed  All's  mosque  on  one  of  those 
nights  of  Ramadan,  when  a  vast  throng  of  grotesquely- 
robed  and  bizarre  dervishes  wakened  the  spaces  of 
this  beautiful,  high-minaretted  sanctuary  with  their 

17 


THE     O  STRICH 

"Wild  noises  and  gyrations.  There  were  frequent 
spectacles  of  Allah's  devotees  marching  in  procession 
through  the  streets,  and  lastly  the  ceaseless  and  ever- 
changing  panorama  of  that  restless  horde  of  eastern 
peoples,  among  whom  always  predominated  the 
burnoused,  dusky-skinned  Bedouin,  his  face  touched 
with  the  wildness  of  the  desert  and  betraying  beneath 
the  veneer  of  dignified  bearing  the  fanaticism  of  the 
fatalist. 

Peter  with  his  trained  mind  and  keen  acumen 
gained  much  that  was  new — he  had  once  before  been 
in  Africa — from  the  scenes  and  incidents  of  that  week, 
but  more  than  any  acquisition  of  knowledge,  he 
recognized  a  new  incentive  to  effort  growing  up  within 
him  which  spurred  him  on  like  the  touch  of  a  magic 
wand.  He  began  to  realize,  too,  that  the  proximity 
of  Ann  was  a  further  stimulus.  He  had  not  as  yet 
analyzed  his  feehngs  towards  her,  but  he  knew  that, 
if  only  because  of  the  strange  command  laid  upon 
him  through  her  lips,  she  would  always  remain  a 
person  of  more  than  ordinary  importance  in  his 
career.     That  was  inevitable. 

During  the  week  of  excursioning  he  made  plans 
to  go  farther  into  the  southwest  where,  he  learned, 
the  ostrich  had  its  habitat  and  was  bred  in  captivity. 
But  before  he  did  so,  an  unusual  episode  occurred 
that,  for  the  time  being,  changed  his  intentions. 

With  Abou  Haifa,  a  young,  native  guide  whom 
Peter  had   chosen   for   his   unusual   intelligence,   he 

i8 


THE     SHEIK'S    REVELATION 

started,  one  night,  for  a  somewhat  notorious  cafe 
near  the  Esbekiya  Gardens  where  it  was  reported 
that  a  Dervish  of  the  desert  was  creating  a  sensation 
with  his  seemingly  incredible,  sleight-of-hand  tricks. 
Abou  Haifa's  warning  to  restrain  all  curiosity,  no 
matter  how  unusual  an  occurrence  might  seem, 
had  prompted  Peter  to  slip  a  well-proportioned  re- 
volver into  his  jacket  pocket  before  starting  out. 

The  cafe  was  situated  a  little  way  up  a  narrow 
street  which  led  off  the  Gardens.  The  darkness  of 
the  place  was  too  much,  even  for  the  dignity  of  Abou 
Haifa,  for  he  cursed  roundly  several  times  as  they 
stumbled  along  toward  the  dimly  lighted  entrance. 
As  the  guide  finally  pushed  open  the  door  of  the  cafe 
and  they  strode  through  the  narrow  passage  leading 
into  the  broad  courtyard,  Peter  was  conscious  of  a 
rush  of  air  in  which  the  aroma  of  incense  mingled  with 
the  fumes  of  hashish  smoke. 

A  good-sized  crowd  of  men  with  a  sprinkling  of 
women  and  girls,  most  of  whom  were  either  smoking 
or  drinking,  were  clustered  about  the  numerous  tables 
in  the  tiled  area.  The  place  resembled  the  ordinary 
Cairo  cafe  except  that  in  the  centre  a  considerable 
space  had  been  left  vacant.  Besides  those  at  the 
tables,  a  dense  group  of  turbanned  Arabs  squatted 
on  the  floor  a  short  distance  from,  and  facing  the 
central  space  where  sat  the  Dervish. 

Fantastic  shadows  from  a  flaring  torch  fixed  up- 
right in  the  floor  played  about  this  strange  creature 

19 


THE     O  STRICH 

who,  as  Peter  entered,  was  leaning  over  the  burning 
coals  of  a  brazier  in  front  of  him,  stripped  of  his  scarlet 
burnous,  bareheaded,  and  naked  to  the  waist.  Peter 
could  easily  count  every  rib  in  the  man's  emaciated 
figure.  From  the  depths  of  a  gray,  wispy  tangle 
that  entirely  covered  his  face  in  gorilla  fashion,  the 
eyes  of  the  Dervish,  whenever  he  glanced  round, 
seemed  to  burn  like  blazing  lights. 

Peter  and  his  guide  joined  those  sitting  on  the 
floor,  Peter  settling  himself  rather  uncomfortably  on 
the  tiles  beside  a  giant  Arab  who,  from  his  bearing 
and  the  texture  of  his  garments,  was  evidently  a 
person  of  consequence. 

Abou  Haifa  had  barely  time  to  Hght  a  cigarette 
when  the  figure  in  the  centre,  unfolding  itself,  and 
swaying  erect  from  side  to  side,  began  a  series  of  con- 
tortions which  seemed  to  jerk  and  tear  at  the  snake- 
like form  until  each  separate  cord  and  muscle 
quivered. 

Instantly  every  eye  was  turned  toward  the  man, 
but  as  the  gyrations  continued,  the  interest  of  the 
spectators  wandered  and  the  murmur  of  conversa- 
tion again  rose.  Just  as  Peter  realized  that  in  this 
whirling  dance  he  was  witnessing  mere  prelimina- 
ries, he  saw  the  giant  sheik  beside  him  start  and 
quickly  raise  his  head. 

The  magician  had  halted  and  was  bending  down 
before  the  burning  brazier.  Suddenly  he  thrust  a 
claw-like  hand  forward,  seized  a  handful  of  red-hot 

20 


THE     SHEIK'S    REVELATION 

coals  in  his  fingers,  stretched  out  the  glowing  lumps 
for  all  to  see  and  then,  one  by  one,  placed  them  in 
his  open  mouth. 

Instantly  murmurs  of  astonishment  filled  the  room. 
But  they  had  hardly  ceased  when  the  onlookers  be- 
held the  hairy  visage  with  its  glittering  eyes  begin 
to  revolve  on  the  long,  thin  neck,  first  to  one  side  and 
then  to  the  other,  back  and  forth  for  all  the  world 
like  the  head  of  a  wired  manikin,  and  finally,  as  if 
having  gained  sufficient  momentum,  it  suddenly  spun 
round  a  full  half-turn,  so  that  the  man's  body  fronted 
one  way  and  his  face  was  skewed  in  exactly  the  oppo- 
site direction.  In  this  hideous  position,  the  head 
remained  fixed  for  several  seconds  before  it  turned 

back. 

Peter  had  hardly  recovered  from  his  amazement  at 
the  incredible  feat  when  a  youth,  naked  save  for  a 
loin  cloth,  lithe  and  beautiful  of  form,  leaped  into 
view  from  a  doorway  at  one  side  of  the  cafe  and 
joined  the  conjurer.  A  gesture  of  the  latter's  claws 
materialized  a  long,  spindle-legged  table  upon  which 
the  young  Arab  gracefully  stretched  himself,  at  the 
same  time  ostentatiously  placing  his  right  arm  so 
that  his  wrist  rested  on  a  small  block  that  had  been 
fixed  to  the  table  when  it  appeared. 

Spreading  a  cloth  over  the  reclining  subject,  the 
conjurer  now  grabbed  from  the  floor  a  keen-bladed 
scimitar  of  large  size,  and  again  threw  himself  into  a 
series  of  wild  dances,  all  the  while  waving  the  sword 

21 


THE     OSTRICH 

above  his  head.  An  element  of  madness  in  the  man's 
burning  eyes  and  fleshless,  whirling  body  caused 
Peter  to  reassure  himself  that  his  revolver  was  still 
handy. 

At  last  in  the  midst  of  his  neurotic  gyrations,  the 
dancer  halted  abruptly  before  the  shrouded  figure, 
lifted  the  scimitar  above  his  head,  poised  it  there  for 
an  instant,  and  then  brought  the  sharp  edge  down 
upon  the  spot  where  the  boy's  wrist  apparently  lay 
upon  the  block  of  wood  beneath  the  cloth.  Then 
amid  a  ghastly  silence,  the  Dervish  reached  down 
and  drew  forth  a  hand  dripping  with  red. 

Murmurs  of  horror,  even  from  the  stoical  Arabs, 
filled  the  room.  A  scarlet-cheeked  woman,  seated 
just  in  front  of  the  grewsome  spectacle,  shrieked 
and  fell  to  the  floor.  As  her  companion,  a  black- 
bearded  native,  was  dragging  her  toward  the  door, 
the  youth  on  the  table  came  to  life,  threw  ofif  the 
covering,  and  holding  up  his  arms  to  show  that 
both  hands  were  intact,  ran  laughing  out  of  the 
area. 

Whirling  furiously  in  ever- widening  circles,  and  still 
brandishing  the  bloody  scimitar,  the  semi-nude 
fanatic  now  commenced  a  whining,  animal-like  chant- 
ing. 

During  the  dance  preceding  the  last  trick,  Peter 
had  twice  noticed  that  the  conjurer  glared  balefully 
in  his  direction.  Now  the  man  was  looking  toward 
him  again.     For   a    few  seconds  an  uneasy  feeling 

22 


THE    SHEIK'S    REVELATION 

obsessed  Peter  that  perhaps  he  had  been  singled  out 
to  become  the  next  subject  for  some  such  uncanny 
bit  of  necromancy  as  he  had  just  witnessed.  But 
happening  to  glance  at  the  giant  beside  him,  he  saw 
that  a  look  of  cold  scorn  hardly  less  forbidding  than 
the  glare  of  the  Dervish  had  settled  upon  his  neigh- 
bor's visage.    Plainly  no  love  was  lost  between  these 

two. 

The  circles  of  the  dance  broadened  more  and  more, 
while  the  area  rang  with  the  throaty  noises  of  the 
dancer.  Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  a  frenzied  evolu- 
tion, the  maniac  stopped,  lowered  his  shaggy  face, 
and  with  weapon  upraised  and  eyes  glaring  like  those 
of  an  infuriated  rat,  made  straight  for  the  six-foot 
Arab  beside  Peter. 

The  latter,  seeing  the  look  of  hate  in  the  magician's 
eyes  and  convinced  of  the  man's  insanity,  was  the 
only  one  in  the  room  to  comprehend  instantly  the 
significance  of  the  new  move.  Thus  when  the  Der- 
vish rushed  forward  with  the  huge  blade  in  air,  Peter 
whipped  out  his  revolver,  took  hasty  aim,  and  sent  a 
bullet  into  the  madman's  arm. 

As  the  sword  fell  clattering  to  the  floor  amid  the 
shrieks  of  the  injured  victim,  confusion  woke  in  the 
room.  Seizing  Abou  Haifa  by  the  wrist,  Peter  took 
advantage  of  the  commotion  to  gain  the  street  and  at 
once  set  out  for  the  hotel.  But  as  he  emerged  into  the 
light  of  the  Esbekiya  Gardens,  a  voice  at  his  elbow 
said: 

23 


THE     O  STRICH 

"Efifendi  has  saved  El-Hamed's  life.  Henceforth 
it  is  his  to  command.  Effendi  shall  be  rewarded; 
let  him  ask  what  he  will." 

Turning,  Peter  found  himself  looking  into  the 
magnetic  eyes  of  his  neighbor  of  the  cafe. 

*'It  is  the  great  sheik  who  owns  much  cotton  land 
on  the  Nile  and  who  is  the  famed  breeder  of  ostriches," 
whispered  Abou  Haifa.  Instantly,  Peter's  interest 
was  roused. 

*'I  should  Hke  much  to  learn  about  the  ostrich. 
Will  El-Hamed  teach  me?" 

''Let  effendi  accompany  El-Hamed  to  his  home 
where  a  flock  of  these  wonderful  birds  now  feeds 
beside  the  Nile.  There  he  whose  life  effendi  has 
saved  will  reveal  secrets  concerning  the  ostrich  such 
as  are  known  only  to  one  other  person  alive.  Will 
effendi  come?  Let  him,  then,  fix  the  hour  for  setting 
forth." 

''We  will  start  to-morrow  at  noon,"  said  Peter, 
and  he  handed  the  other  a  card  bearing  his  hotel 
address. 

Two  days  later  after  journeying  across  the  delta 
to  a  small  town  a  few  miles  from  Alexandria,  Peter 
became  the  guest  of  one  of  the  wealthiest  sheiks  on 
the  lower  Nile,  a  man  of  much  erudition  and  wide 
knowledge  who,  more  as  a  hobby  than  for  profit, 
maintained  a  great  flock  of  ostriches  on  his  farm. 

When  he  found  that  Peter,  in  spite  of  his  great 
interest  in  these  birds,  refused  to  accept  any  as   a 

24 


THE    SHEIKAS    REVELATION 

gift,  El-Hamed,  in  deep  gratitude  for  the  service 
rendered  him,  decided  to  confer  a  boon  upon  his  guest 
such  as  never  before  had  been  extended  to  white 
man. 

"Listen,  effendi,'^  he  said,  "El-Hamed  means  to 
make  it  possible  for  you  to  know  all  the  truth  con- 
cerning the  ostrich  and  its  marvellous  possibilities. 
There  are  facts  about  the  bird  which,  if  rightly 
understood  and  employed,  will  prove  a  force  of 
unparalleled  future  power. 

"In  past  centuries,  when  strange  inhabitants,  long 
since  dead,  built  mighty  cities  and  temples  along  the 
banks  of  the  Nile  and  made  great  battles  near  the 
borders  of  the  deserts  to  the  southward,  the  ostrich 
was  one  of  the  sacred  birds  of  the  land.  Before 
the  sway  of  the  renowned  Cleopatra,  a  wonderful 
queen,  Arsinoe  by  name,  governed  millions  of  sub- 
jects by  the  power  that  went  with  this  bird.  This 
queen  often  rode  through  the  streets  of  her  capital 
seated  on  the  back  of  an  ostrich,  reputed  to  stand 
fifteen  feet  high,  and  having  feathers  that  gleamed 
in  the  sunlight  like  the  meshes  of  spun  silk.  A 
statue  of  Arsinoe,  mounted  upon  the  sacred  bird, 
has  been  found  erected  on  Helicon,  a  range  in  the 
ancient  Boeotian  land  of  Greece. 

"During  such  shadowy  periods  as  that  of  the  eigh- 
teenth dynasty,  at  a  time  contemporaneous  with  the 
Moses  of  your  Bible,  the  inhabitants  of  the  then 
mighty  Thebes  venerated  the  ostrich  above  all  other 

25 


THE     OSTRICH 

animals  and  many  carvings  of  the  bird  in  stone  are 
to-day  found  on  the  walls  of  the  sepulchral  chambers 
near  the  ancient  site  of  the  city. 

"But  that  was  not  all,  effendi.  The  ostrich 
feather  stood  for  justice  and  truth.  Justice  in  those 
olden  times  was  the  balance  wherein  all  actions  were 
weighed.  It  was  as  highly  prized  as  it  is  to-day. 
The  web  of  the  ostrich  feather,  being  of  equal  breadth 
and  equally  balanced  on  each  side  of  the  shaft, 
fittingly  symbolized  justice.  And  from  being  such 
a  symbol  the  feather  likewise  became  the  token  of 
truth  among  those  old  Egyptians.  In  the  hiero- 
glyphic writings  many  ostrich-feather  representations 
occur.  The  Nomad  of  earlier  days,  and  even  to-day 
in  some  sections  of  the  country  to  the  south,  wears 
the  white  ostrich  plume  in  sign  of  victory,  and  so 
prized  is  the  feather  as  a  token  of  triumph  that  one 
tribe  wears  the  black  plume  when  the  white  cannot 
be  obtained.  The  Somal  calls  the  feather  ^Bal'; 
the  Arab,  *  Rish.'  It  is  worn  in  the  back  part  of 
the  hair  by  the  majority  of  the  southern  tribes, 
though  each  clan  has  its  particular  rules  as  to  just 
how  it  shall  be  displayed. 

"Of  the  origin  of  the  ostrich,  no  one  knows.  Even 
before  the  days  of  Queen  Arsinoe  and  Moses,  ancient 
writings  show  that  the  bird  was  to  be  found  in  the 
land  in  great  numbers.  The  mighty  warrior,  Tris- 
tran,  had  a  skin  of  an  ostrich  which  he  claimed  to 
have  killed  on  the  Belka  close  behind  the  hills  of 

26 


THE    SHEIKAS    REVELATION 

Moab.  The  bird  dwells  in  the  steppes  of  Kordofan 
on  the  White  Nile,  and  to  the  south  of  Neuwerlandi 
on  the  Blue  Nile.  It  is  found  in  the  interior  along 
the  borders  of  the  Kalahari  desert;  in  Beschari  and 
in  Shukurich.  The  Turkoman  knows  the  ostrich 
as  'Toje  Kushu.' 

^'Whether  in  earliest  days  it  Kved  in  the  grass 
veldt  or  came  there  only  when  the  barren  droughts 
of  the  dryer  lands  drove  it  forth,  is  shrouded  in 
mystery.  It  is  looked  upon  as  being  essentially  the 
desert  bird.  Religion,  since  peoples  first  dwelt  in 
Africa,  has  paid  the  ostrich  tribute.  Kings,  queens, 
and  warring  nations  have  done  it  reverence.  Images 
of  it  are  found  in  the  ruins  of  the  famous  Temple  of 
Karnak  and  all  up  and  down  the  Nile  region  where 
antiquity  was  born. 

^'Out  of  all  this,  effendi,  it  shines  clear  that  the 
bird  is  of  more  than  ordinary  consequence.  El- 
Hamed  knows  of  the  ostrich  far  better  than  his 
brothers  of  the  Nile  country.  But  there  is  one,  a 
great  and  all-wise  queen,  to  the  south  in  the  Abys- 
sinian land  where  the  waters  of  the  sacred  Blue  Nile 
run  as  a  rivulet,  who  excels  all  mankind  in  knowledge 
of  the  bird. 

*' Queen  Zar,  effendi,  knows  all.  Her  wisdom  is 
greater  than  the  wisdom  of  many  ages.  She  has 
tamed  a  horde  of  subjects  who  once  were  wilder 
than  the  beasts  of  the  forest.  Her  knowledge  of  the 
deep  and  hidden  mysteries  of  life  surpasses  the  book 

27 


THE     OSTRICH 

lore  of  the  most  renowned  scribes  of  learning.  In 
breadth  of  mind  and  soul  she  transcends  all. 

*'If  effendi  would  learn  the  profounder  mysteries 
of  the  ostrich,  let  him  seek  this  marvellous  queen. 

*' Since  pride  prevents  effendi  from  accepting  the 
ostriches  which  El-Hamed  would  bestow  upon  him, 
let  him,  then,  receive  this  talisman."  The  planter 
took  from  the  bosom  of  his  burnous  a  tiny  silken 
bag  suspended  about  his  neck  by  a  blue  cord,  drew 
out  of  it  a  ring  set  with  a  blood-red  stone,  and  placed 
the  circlet  upon  one  of  Peter's  fingers. 

^'This  signet  will  enable  effendi  to  acquire  as  many 
ostriches  as  he  may  wish  from  the  great  queen.  She 
will  show  him  where  the  birds  breed  plentifully. 
Indeed,  because  effendi  wears  the  talisman,  the  queen 
will  know  of  his  coming  and  will  be  waiting  at  the 
borders  of  her  country  to  welcome  him.  The  hos- 
pitality of  her  land  will  be  offered  effendi.  He  will 
behold  her,  upon  whose  face  no  white  man  has  ever 
looked,  and  into  whose  land  no  white  man  has  ever 
penetrated. 

"The  talisman  will  prove  his  preserver.  Let  him 
guard  it  with  care.  Without  it  he  would  perish  ere 
he  found  the  great  Zar.  The  ring  is  her  signet  of 
friendship  sent  to  El-Hamed  long  years  ago  because 
of  the  sheik's  endeavor  to  help  uplift  and  better 
the  people  of  his  own  race. 

*'The  Arab  is  poor  because  he  does  nothing  for  him- 
self.    His  philosophy  of  life  is  that  of  Naishapur's 

28 


THE    SHEIK'S    REVELATION 

poet  of  eight  centuries  ago.  He  is  sunk  in  the  folly 
of  fatalism.  He  has  been  misled  by  priests  who 
falsely  interpret  Mahomet's  teachings.  But  chiefly 
he  is  the  victim  of  himself,  without  purpose  and  with- 
out initiative.  El-Hamed  has  spent  many  years  en- 
deavoring to  expose  the  frauds  which  the  priests  are 
constantly  imposing  upon  his  people.  But  his  work 
has  proven  fruitless.  Twice  his  life  has  been  at- 
tempted by  fanatics.  He  has  suffered  many  per- 
secutions. Yet  some  day  the  truth  will  rise  like  the 
morning  sun  and  waken  the  children  of  the  desert." 
With  a  pious  movement  the  old  man  bowed  his  head 
in  sadness.     Then,  looking  up  again,  he  proceeded: 

''May  the  blessings  of  Allah  go  with  effendi. 
Should  he  persist  in  his  purpose  to  learn  all  the  truth 
concerning  the  ostrich,  he  will  never  regret  it." 

Later  the  Arab  explained  many  facts  of  practical 
value  in  rearing  the  ostrich  which,  supplemented  by  a 
first-hand  study  of  the  flock  at  his  farm,  furnished 
Peter  with  a  knowledge  of  the  bird  such  as  few  could 
hope  to  possess. 

''One  would  hardly  think  that  there  could  be  so 
much  to  learn  on  the  subject,"  he  remarked  to  his 
godmother  after  he  had  rejoined  her  and  the  others 
at  Alexandria.  "And  it  seems  that  I  have  only  made 
a  beginning.    I  am  interested  to  know  how  it  will 

end." 

They  were  all  sitting  at  dinner  after  a  day  of  excur- 
sioning  about  the  old  metropolis.    An  Arab  messenger 

29 


THE    OSTRICH 

glided  across  the  room  and  thrust  a  yellow  envelope 
into  Professor  Seabury's  hands. 

**A  cable!"   cried  Alicia. 

Tearing  open  the  missive,  the  older  man  read  aloud: 

^' *  Securities  threatened  by  crisis.  Start  at  once. 
Andrew.'" 

*' Sounds  serious,"  said  Peter,  observing  the  frown 
on  his  friend's  face. 

^'What  can  it  mean?"  put  in  Alicia. 

**I'm  afraid  our  vacation  is  over,  little  girl.  It's 
important,  otherwise  your  uncle  never  would  have 
cabled." 

The  daughter  rose  and  put  her  arms  round  her 
father's  neck: 

''All  right,  daddy  dear;  only  don't  worry." 

''You  nice  child,"  said  Mrs.  Van  Siddons.  *'Ann 
and  I  will  return  with  you,  for  that."  Then  she 
added:  ''What  joy  it  will  be  to  behold  a  clean  bath- 
tub once  more,  and  to  be  able  to  go  walking  without 
having  to  dodge  beggars  at  every  step!" 

"I'm  going  to  join  you,"  said  Peter.  "There's  a 
boat  to-morrow,  I  believe." 

"What,  are  you  homesick  too?"  asked  his  god- 
mother. 

"Perhaps,"  he  answered  with  a  grin.  "I've 
some  lessons  to  learn,  too.  I  shall  be  back  again — 
afterwards." 


30 


Ill 

THE  BLIGHT  OF  A  PANIC 

Peter's  decision  to  return  to  America  v/as  the 
result  of  a  rapidly  crystallizing  resolve  to  sift  the 
strange  message  of  the  Ages  to  the  end.  He  had 
already  learned  enough  to  convince  him  that  it  bore 
more  than  ordinary  significance.  His  time  was  his 
own.  At  home  he  would  go  deeper  into  the  investi- 
gation. 

' '  Seek  the  truth  I  Search  everywhere !  Study  men ! 
When  the  time  is  ripe  for  fulfilment,  thou  shalt  under- 
stand!" Those  commands  recurred  to  his  mind 
often. 

The  next  morning,  following  the  usual  excitement 
of  embarking  for  home,  he  and  his  friends  watched 
the  shores  of  Africa  fade  in  the  soft  blue  of  sea  and 
sky.  Then  ensued  the  voyage  to  Naples,  the  Azores 
and  across  the  Atlantic,  during  which  acquaintance- 
ship flourished  as  it  only  can  on  shipboard  when  the 
ocean  remains  constantly  sun-kissed  beneath  cloud- 
less skies.  When  Sandy  Hook  was  sighted,  Peter  and 
Ann  were  the  best  of  comrades  and  friends.  Only  a 
few  hours  later  his  father  and  sister  were  welcoming 
him  home  from  his  long  absence. 

31 


THE     O  STRICH 

Thus  Peter  was  at  hand  to  profit  by  a  study  of  one 
of  the  most  extraordinary  economic  dilemmas  of  mod- 
ern times,  when,  the  next  morning  after  his  arrival, 
a  great  financial  panic  burst  over  New  York.  A  pre- 
monition of  this  crash  had  been  the  reason  for  Andrew 
Seabury's  summons  to  his  brother  in  Egypt. 

Within  an  hour  the  long-impending  disaster  made 
itself  felt,  not  only  in  all  sections  of  Manhattan,  but 
in  every  great  money  centre  of  the  world.  Bankers, 
financiers  and  stockholders  hung  with  feverish  inter- 
est over  the  reports  that,  from  time  to  time,  flashed 
forth  from  the  vortex  of  war,  for  all  felt  that  this 
mighty  struggle  of  the  money  giants  which  had  at 
last  been  loosed,  was  indeed  a  warfare. 

Never  before  had  there  occurred  such  a  mighty 
avalanche  in  values.  Old  line  stocks  declined  until 
the  panic  laid  hold  of  great  and  small  alike,  and  a 
mad  and  reckless  selling  began,  which  terminated  in 
the  most  wholesale  collapse  of  holdings  on  record. 
Offers  of  a  thousand  per  cent,  for  loans  went  begging. 
The  newsboys,  waving  scare  headlines  everywhere, 
proclaimed  the  varying  fortunes  of  the  battle  that 
raged  upon  the  floor  of  the  stock  exchange.  Failures 
of  business  houses  by  the  score,  the  closing  of  the 
doors  of  half  a  dozen  banks  including  the  mighty 
Williams  Trust  Company,  and  the  mysterious  dis- 
appearance of  its  president,  two  suicides  and  the 
prospect  of  worse  to  follow  because  of  the  ever-in- 
creasing shortage  of  money,  had  already  turned  New 

32 


THE    BLIGHT    OF    A    PANIC 

York  into  pandemonium.  The  air  was  rife  with 
wild  rumors,  one  of  which  hinted  at  a  mighty  con- 
spiracy of  the  "  interests "  which  was  generally 
discredited  because  of  the  very  audaciousness  of  its 
conception. 

As  Peter  rode  down  town  on  the  second  day  of 
this  tragic  period,  he  was  struck  by  the  tenseness  of 
action  and  manner  that  seemed  to  pervade  the  thou- 
sands upon  the  streets.  He  had  sensed  the  advent 
of  the  panic  from  the  context  of  press  despatches 
abroad.  His  curiosity,  now  that  he  came  near  to 
the  heart  of  it,  quickened  into  deep  interest. 

Thus  he  was  doubly  pleased  upon  entering  his  club 
to  discover  Max  Reinhart,  a  classmate  of  college  days, 
sometimes  jestingly  referred  to  by  the  club  members 
as  "The  Muckraker,"  sitting  alone  by  the  fireplace 
in  the  smoking-room  dividing  his  attention  between  a 
plate  of  pretzels  and  a  cigarette. 

Peter  was  fond  of  Max.  He  had  secured  his  ad- 
mission to  this,  one  of  New  York's  most  exclusive 
clubs.  He  liked  him  particularly  because  of  the 
earnestness  which,  long  since,  he  had  discovered  lay 
beneath  "The  Muckraker's"  accustomed  cynicism 
of  manner.  Max's  views  upon  many  questions  of  the 
hour,  which  during  college  days  Peter  had  thought 
rabid  and  extreme  and  which  he  had  then  felt  were 
the  result  of  egotism  rather  than  of  conviction,  now 
deeply  interested  Peter. 

Max's    outward    response    to    Peter's    unceasing 

33 


THE    OSTRICH 

friendship  was  a  persistent  and  mocking  skepticism  of 
the  other's  acts,  a  continuous  fusillade  of  criticism 
against  a  long  list  of  beliefs  and  institutions  with 
which  an  environment  such  as  Peter's  had  been,  would 
naturally  keep  the  latter  in  harmony.  It  mattered 
not  to  the  redoubtable  Max  that  Peter  had  essayed 
several  declarations  of  independence  in  the  past. 
"The  Muckraker"  took  not  the  least  stock  in  an 
independence  which  entailed  a  compromise,  and 
he  mockingly  voiced  his  cynicism  on  every  occasion 
when  he  and  Peter  met. 

''Ah,  Stuyvie,  back  again  from  lotus-eating  in  the 
land  of  Kismet!"  he  cried,  springing  to  his  feet  at 
sight  of  his  friend.  "You're  just  in  time  to  witness 
the  slaughter  of  the  innocents.  For  it's  begun." 
Then  in  compliance  with  Peter's  nod  of  assent  at 
his  suggestion,  he  despatched  the  servant  for  scotches 
and  soda. 

Peter  tossed  his  coat  aside  and  stretched  himself 
out  in  a  lounging  chair,  smiling  whimsically  across 
at  the  other. 

"Still  picking  upon  your  friends,"  he  said,  good- 
naturedly.     "What  caused  the  panic.  Max?" 

"Upon  my  word,  Stuyvesant,  you  are  more  like  an 
ingenuous  butterfly  each  year.  With  New  York 
in  the  thick  of  a  financial  cataclysm,  filled  with  bank- 
rupt business  houses,  closing  banks,  not  to  mention 
a  milHon  or  more  people  who  stand  to  lose  their  all 
because  of  your  stock  juggler  and  wholesale  gambler, 

34 


THE    BLIGHT     OF    A    PANIC 

and  a  bread  line,  daily  growing  longer,  you  make  your 
debut  from  foreign  lands,  through  the  doors  of  a 
highbrow  club,  from  the  cushions  of  an  expensive 
touring  car  and  serenely  ask  what  it's  all  about! 
Why,  son,  a  world  tragedy  is  taking  place  under 
your  nose.  The  town  is  a  hotbed  of  sane  people 
gone  mad,  and  if  many  more  of  your  wildcatting 
trust  concerns  nail  up  their  doors,  the  mob  will  begin 
to  see  red  and — God  help  us  then!  Values  have 
shrunk  a  billion  dollars.  To-day  is  the  last  straw. 
Take  a  drink,  Peter,  and  think  it  over,''  urged 
the  speaker  in  a  mocking  drawl  as  the  servant  ap- 
peared with  glasses,  decanter  and  siphon.  Then 
he  added  maliciously  and  with  a  sardonic  smile  as 
he  turned  to  light  a  fresh  cigarette : 

"At  least  you  appear  as  if  you  might  wake  up, 
some  day." 

"I'm  surely  more  interested  than  you  make  me 
out,"  replied  Peter  with  a  frank  grin  at  his  com- 
panion's bombardment.  "Many  of  my  friends,  as 
well  as  yours.  Max,  are  wavering  between  the  pistol 
point  and  poverty  to-day.  A  panic  like  this  means 
that  there's  a  rotten  spot  somewhere  in  our  social 
system.  I'm  in  dead  earnest  to  discover  what  can 
make  such  a  horror  possible.  Leave  your  denuncia- 
tion for  another  day  and  come  down  to  particulars." 

The  scorn  in  the  other  man's  eyes  proved  his  lack 
of  faith  in  Peter's  protestations,  but  he  said: 

"Two  hours  ago  I  saw  a  man  on  a  street  corner 

35 


THE     OSTRICH 

opposite  one  of  the  barricaded  wildcat  trust  com- 
panies take  a  pistol  out  of  his  pocket  and  send  a 
bullet  into  his  brain.  He  was  a  bally  coward  to  do 
it,  for  a  woman  stood  right  there  with  him  when  the 
thing  happened,  and  a  youngster  too — the  little  kid 
wasn't  over  four — and  the  woman  fell  down  on  the 
breast  of  that  bloody  thing  that  had  been  her  love 
and  screamed  and  screamed  until  people  standing 
near  stopped  their  ears  in  horror.  But  when  they 
took  the  body  down  to  the  station  with  that  woman 
still  clinging  to  it,  crying  and  sobbing  and  alternating 
her  caresses  between  the  dead  one  and  the  child,  a 
policeman  finally  found  a  finger-smooched  bank-book 
in  the  suicide's  pocket  showing  deposits  for  three 
thousand  dollars  that  the  poor  devil  had  worked 
sixteen  years  to  get  together.  The  bank  had  swal- 
lowed his  little  pile  and  the  cruelty  of  it  went  to  his 
head. 

^'I  was  on  the  floor  of  the  stock  exchange,  yester- 
day afternoon,  too,  just  before  the  gong  struck  for 
closing,  when  two  guards  and  three  others  including 
myself,  struggled  for  a  full  five  minutes  with  Bill 
Atherton — 'Big  Bill'  of  the  class  of  '90,  you  know — 
before  we  got  him  handcuffed  and  tied  up.  The 
guards  insisted  on  putting  the  twisters  on  him  for 
fear  he  might  do  murder.  He  was  stark  mad — bit 
and  clawed  and  laughed — I  wonder  if  you  ever  heard 
a  laugh  like  that — just  as  if  everything  inside  had 
caved  in  and  gone  to  smash.     God,  I  can  hear  it 

36 


THE     BLIGHT     OF    A    PANIC 

now !  And  when  they  finally  got  him  quiet  and  lugged 
him  off  the  crowded  floor,  it  was  so  still  there  for 
awhile  that  you  could  hear  the  clock  tick. 

*' You  should  have  seen  the  mob  of  men  and  women, 
too,  fighting  and  clawing  at  each  other  like  harpies 
in  their  mad  rush  to  get  into  the  different  banks 
before  the  doors  closed! 

''The  cause  of  the  panic — it's  everywhere.  It's 
social  greed.  It's  the  rabid  craze  for  acquiring  wealth 
under  a  system  where  one's  gain  is  always  another's 
loss.  But  you  will  never  understand  it,  Stuyvie. 
You  can't.     You  weren't  brought  up  that  way." 

A  hint  of  a  frown  appeared  on  Peter's  face,  but 
before  he  could  answer  he  was  interrupted  by  a  ser- 
vant: 

''Telephone,  sir,  in  number  four." 

"Who  wants  me?" 

"A  lady,  sir.'^ 

As  Peter  rose  and  went  out.  Max  reached  forward 
and  chose  a  copy  of  the  afternoon  edition  of  the 
"Daily  News"  from  the  pile  of  papers  which  the  ser- 
vant had  laid  on  the  table.  As  he  glanced  over  the 
headlines  of  the  front  page,  "The  Muckraker's" 
eyes  were  suddenly  caught  and  held  with  horror  as 
he  read: 

"Noted  Professor  Stricken.  World-Famous 
Teacher  of  Pierson  University  said  to  be  dying  from 
Paralysis  caused  by  Shock  of  financial  Losses.  Had 
just  returned  from  Europe.     Daughter  at  Bedside." 

37 


THE     OSTRICH 

He  had  barely  finished  the  details  of  the  story  when 
Peter  appeared  in  the  doorway. 

^'Professor  Seabury  has  had  a  stroke/'  he  cried, 
tersely.  Plainly  he  had  received  the  news  at  the 
telephone.  Dropping  the  paper  to  the  floor,  Max 
sprang  forward : 

"Come  on!''  he  exclaimed,  and  in  another  minute 
the  two  friends  were  breaking  the  highway  speed 
laws  in  their  haste  to  reach  their  old  instructor's 
home. 

"Even  now  AHcia  doesn't  know  what  caused  it," 
Ann  Newman  informed  them  after  Peter  had  intro- 
duced her  to  Max  and  she  had  led  the  way  into  the 
drawing-room.  Ann  was  the  first  whom  Alicia  had 
sent  for  after  her  father's  seizure.  "The  professor 
was  sitting  in  the  library" — motioning  toward  an 
apartment  whose  book-filled  shelves  could  be  seen 
through  an  open  doorway — "when  he  dropped  his 
paper  and  without  a  word  fell  to  the  floor.  The 
doctor  says  it's  paralysis,  that  he  may  improve,  but 
that  there  is  small  chance  of  his  ever  being  well  again. 
He  doesn't  know  any  one  now,  though  he  did  recog- 
nize Alicia  for  a  moment." 

"Where  is  the  paper  that  he  was  reading?"  asked 
Peter. 

Ann  handed  him  an  edition  of  "The  Transcript" 
that  lay  on  a  table  nearby.  In  startHng  headlines 
at  the  top  of  the  sheet  was  the  announcement  of  the 
closing  of  the  Mercer  Trust  Company.     On  the  same 

38 


THE    BLIGHT     OF    A    PANIC 

page  also  appeared  the  news  of  the  failure  of  Hersey 
and  Weld  with  an  account  of  the  disappearance  of 
John  Weld  with  half  a  million  of  the  firm's  cash. 

Peter  stared  in  silence  at  the  page  for  a  moment. 
Then  he  shook  his  head  sadly.  He  knew  that  Pro- 
fessor Seabury's  savings  were  largely  invested  in  the 
stock  of  the  Mercer  Trust  Company  and  he  was 
aware  that  Hersey  and  Weld  were  the  old  man's 
bankers. 

"I  don't  wonder  that  it  proved  a  shock  to  him," 

he  said. 

Just  then  Alicia,  her  cheeks  tear-stained,  entered 

the  room. 

''The  doctor  thinks  he  will  pull  through,"  she  said, 
giving  her  hand  to  each  of  the  new-comers,  ''but 
the  shock  has  left  him  hopelessly  shattered.  He  will 
never  be  himself  again."  Then  pointing  to  the  paper 
in  Peter's  hand: 

"Why  should  he  have  taken  it  so  hard!  I  don't 
mind  being  poor,  not  in  the  least,  but  this" — she 
turned  and  hid  her  face  in  her  hands.  Ann  rose  to 
comfort  her  but  before  she  could  reach  Alicia's  side, 
Max  had  taken  one  of  the  weeping  girl's  hands  in 
his,  and  was  saying: 

"Come   and   sit   down,    dear.     You   are    fagged 

out." 

Peter  was  marvelling  over  the  gentleness  of  "The 
Muckraker's"  voice,  when  Ann  turned  again: 

"It  is  terrible,"  she  said,  "to  think  that  such  evils 

39 


THE    OSTRICH 

can  come  to  pass.  It  is  terrible  that  the  wrongs  of 
the  great  can  so  wreck  the  lives  of  the  helpless." 

She  stood  where  a  ray  of  the  afternoon  sun  glinted 
amid  the  burnished  threads  of  her  hair.  Her  eyes, 
looking  before  her,  were  filled  with  a  depth  of  tender- 
ness and  compassion  such  as  Peter  knew  only  the 
most  beautiful  in  soul  could  feel  for  the  wrongs  and 
sufferings  of  others.  It  suddenly  seemed  to  him  as 
though  he  understood  the  softness  that  had  crept  into 
the  voice  of  Max.  But  his  only  reply  to  the  girl 
near  him  was: 

''It  shall  not  always  be  so.  Those  of  us  who  are  in 
earnest  will  help  fight  against  such  evils  and  some  day 
we  shall  succeed  in  overthrowing  them." 


40 


IV 

THE   SPIRIT  OF   MERLE  WATER 

The  usual  racing  banter  and  cynical  repartee 
greeted  Peter's  ears  as  he  stepped  from  his  touring 
car  to  the  grassy  terrace  of  the  fashionable  Merle 
Water  Club  on  the  forenoon  of  the  day  of  the 
annual  horse  races. 

It  was  almost  a  month  since  the  morning  when  he 
had  seen  Ann  Newman  off  on  a  visit  to  her  old  home 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  state.  A  brief  missive — 
her  first  letter  to  him — had  brought  the  joyous  news 
that  she  was  now  en  route  to  New  York  and  already 
he  was  planning  to  spend  the  following  day  in  the 
country  with  her. 

Meanwhile,  for  the  first  time  since  his  return  from 
abroad,  he  had  ridden  out  to  Long  Island  to  renew 
some  of  his  club  acquaintanceships  and  to  witness  the 
yearly  Merle  Water  meet,  for  which  the  club  had  long 
been  noted.  He  was  also  much  interested  to  learn 
how  the  wealthy  men  and  women  members  regarded 
the  recent  panic  causes  and  effects.  Even  though 
Max  Reinhart  put  him  in  the  same  class  with  these 
people,  Peter  himself  knew  that  he  was  no  longer 
a  worshipper  of  Mammon.     He  had  a  curious  habit, 

41 


THE    OSTRICH 

now,  of  studying  others  to  know  whether  they  too 
were  learning  to  sympathize  with  their  less  fortunate 
fellow-beings. 

As  he  was  dismissing  his  chauffeur,  he  heard  a 
familiar  voice  saying: 

*'Why,  there's  Stuyvie!"  and  the  speaker,  a  tall, 
athletic-shouldered  girl,  and  two  other  women  and 
a  man,  quickly  surrounded  him. 

"Hello,  Mrs.  De  Pris!"  he  exclaimed  in  his  cheer- 
ful, optimistic  voice.  Then  eying  a  younger,  girl 
member  of  the  group  who  kept  whacking  at  her  gray 
riding-skirt  with  an  ivory-handled  hunting  crop,  he 
remarked : 

''Victoria's  been  placing  a  bet,  I'll  warrant." 

Miss  Merton,  the  girl  referred  to,  glanced  at  him 
quizzically : 

"How  did  you  guess?"  she  asked. 

"Dead  easy.  You're  trying  so  hard  to  look 
happy,"  said  Peter. 

"I  placed  a  thou'  on  Nankin.  Has  she  a  chance, 
Stuyvie?" 

Peter  noted  the  suppressed  eagerness  beneath  her 
assumed  nonchalance. 

"You'd  better  look  out  for  King  Richard.  He 
found  a  lot  of  you  napping  a  year  ago." 

"We  were  sound  asleep,"  drawled  the  third  woman, 
the  Countess  Cranford.  "Montie  was  the  only  one 
of  us  in  on  the  ground  floor,  and  he  left  even  his  dear- 
est friends  to  slumber  sweetly  on."     The  dark  eyes 

42 


THE     SPIRIT     OF     MERLE     WATER 

of  the  speaker  turned  accusingly  to  Montague  Rens- 
selaer's face. 

''I  needed  the  money,"  grinned  the  latter  youth. 
Then  a  second  later,  catching  sight  of  a  new-comer, 
Rensselaer  abruptly  detached  himself  from  the  group 
and  hastily  stepped  across  the  terrace.  The  others 
heard  him  hail  an  older  man,  somewhat  ponderously 
making  his  way  toward  the  club-house  steps. 

''It's  Jed  Miller,"  exclaimed  Sally  De  Pris. 

''I  wonder  why  Croesus  has  deserted  his  Wall 
Street  citadel  to  come  out  here?"  queried  the 
countess. 

''I  have  it!"  Miss  Merton's  eyes  flashed.  ''King 
Richard  is  his  horse.  He's  entered  again,  to-day. 
That's  why  Jed  Miller  is  here.  That's  why  Montie 
runs  after  him.  We  all  wondered  what  brought 
Miller  here  last  year.  Now  I  know.  It's  a  shame! 
Why  can't  they  keep  hands  off  our  sports — these 
money  lusters!  By  and  by  there'll  not  be  a  single 
chance  to  win  an  honest  wager,  just  because  such 
men  as  Jed  Miller  load  all  the  dice.  First  they  leave 
us  without  a  leg  to  stand  on  in  the  stock  market  and 
then  they  strip  us  at  the  track.  Women  without 
any  one  to  protect  them  have  got  to  exist,"  she 
went  on,  "but  how  can  we,  if  some  Jed  Miller  takes 
all  there  is — marks  every  card?  They  say  the  panic 
made  him  three  millions.  Mama  and  I  lost  about 
everything,  from  no  fault  of  ours.  Jed  Miller  was  to 
blame — he  and  others  just  like  him. 

43 


THE     O  STRICH 

^'He  doesn't  give  the  other  fellow  a  chance,  even 
when  the  other  chap  is  one  of  his  own  kind."  The 
girl  still  kept  switching  her  riding  crop  to  and  fro. 

"Oh,  I  suppose  he  has  his  code,"  put  in  Mrs. 
De  Pris.  Before  Victoria  could  reply,  the  countess' 
voice  broke  in : 

"They  say  he  finally  saved  a  half-dozen  of  the  big 
banks." 

"His  own  banks,"  said  Victoria  scornfully.  "He 
launches  a  panic  and  nearly  breaks  us  all.  His 
wealth,  and  the  power  it  gives  him  over  us,  he  uses 
to  satisfy  his  whim.  And  his  whim  is  always  to  take 
away  what  the  other  fellow  has.  Whether  he  does 
it  down  in  Wall  Street,  or  whether  his  hundred 
thousand  dollar  horse  does  it  on  the  race  track,  at  his 
own  private  club,  it's  the  same  to  Jed  Miller.  He 
never  loses.  We're  all  his  playthings.  He's  destiny 
shuffling  us  about  at  will." 

"Stop  squealing,  Vic!"  put  in  Mrs.  De  Pris. 
"You're  only  guessing.  I  don't  believe  King  Richard 
belongs  to  him.  Jed  Miller  isn't  a  horse  man.  What 
does  he  care  for  the  winnings  he  might  make  here, 
this  afternoon?  I  don't  believe  he  came  here  to  trim 
his  friends.  Besides,  the  betting  favorite  is  Nankin. 
Sam  says  she's  done  a  quarter  in  two  less  than  King 
Richard's  best,  last  season.  He's  got  ten  thousand 
on  her  and  I've  got  three.  She's  sure  to  win.  Sam 
knows.  He  sold  a  car  and  had  me  let  two  maids 
and  a  butler  go  because  Jed  squeezed  him  so.     He 

44 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  MERLE  WATER 

says  we've  got  to  make  a  few  thousand  on  the  races 
to-day  or  go  broke.     Poor  Sam!" 

Sally  sighed  as  she  lifted  her  jewel-handled  lorgnon 
and  stared  at  a  plump,  smiling-faced  youth  who  was 
towing  toward  them  a  spectacled  companion,  taller 
than  himself  by  two  feet,  and  whose  rather  long  hair 
was  topped  by  a  broad-brimmed,  mouse-hued  som- 
brero. 

'^Here's  little  Weston  Morse  with  that  clever 
Sidney  Appleton,"  she  said.  Turning,  Peter  found 
his  hand  seized  in  the  friendly  grip  of  the  tall  man 
who,  after  a  brief  greeting,  said: 

"I  say,  Stuyvie,  I'll  play  you  against  the  'cunnel'?" 

Peter  glanced  at  his  watch.  It  lacked  more  than 
an  hour  before  the  races  began. 

^'All  right,  Sidney!"  he  assented,  and  nodding  to 
the  others  he  walked  away  toward  the  caddy  house 
behind  the  smooth  strip  of  lawn. 

Peter's  game  proved  too  fast  for  Appleton,  for  there 
was  still  a  good  half-hour  to  spare  when  he  holed  out 
at  the  sixth  green,  leaving  Sidney  pegging  away, 
two  bunkers  in  the  rear. 

Most  of  the  racing  crowd  had  drifted  over  to  the 
grandstand  back  of  the  club  building,  where  a 
band  was  already  playing,  when  Peter  reached  the 
veranda  steps;  though  a  group  of  the  younger  male 
contingent  still  lingered  about  the  piazza. 

Amid  casual  greetings,  Peter  picked  his  way  among 
the  loiterers  and  entered  the  club-house.     It  was  an 

45 


THE     OSTRICH 

enormous  structure,  two  and  a  half  stories  high 
with  double  wings,  in  one  of  which  were  the  racquet 
courts,  billiard  rooms  and  other  amusement  apart- 
ments. The  other  extreme  was  for  the  servants  and 
the  cuisine.  The  central  part  of  the  building,  on  the 
ground  floor,  was  occupied  by  two  spacious  rooms, 
one  facing  the  front,  the  other,  lighted  by  English 
windows,  overlooking  an  extremely  wide,  tiled 
terrace,  at  one  end  of  which  was  a  pergola  shaded 
with  masses  of  wistaria  vines. 

Selecting  a  seat  at  a  small  writing-desk  in  the  far- 
ther corner  of  the  rear  of  these  two  rooms,  Peter 
wrote  a  note,  addressed  it  to  Fraulein  Newman  and 
rang  for  a  servant.  The  letter  contained  a  request 
that  she  come  with  him  and  his  godmother  for  a 
day's  outing  on  the  morrow. 

As  a  rule  Peter  was  not  susceptible  to  women. 
After  college  days  his  Hfe  had  centred  chiefly  on 
business  affairs.  Still  he  admired  a  pretty  face  and 
was  fairly  well  known  in  a  good  many  New  York 
drawing-rooms.  He  believed  himself  to  be  whole- 
hearted, though  of  late  the  thought  of  Ann  persisted 
in  obtruding  itself  upon  him.  He  felt  a  positive 
deHght  in  the  anticipation  of  seeing  her  once  again. 

After  handing  the  servant  the  note,  he  lingered  for 
a  moment  in  the  great  room  which  then  happened 
to  be  unoccupied.  The  window  at  his  elbow  was 
open,  and  he  heard  the  footsteps  of  two  people  cross- 
ing the  terrace  to  the  pergola  just  outside.    There 

46 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  MERLE  WATER 

they  evidently  found  seats.    Then  the  voice  of  Jed 
Miller  came  to  him: 

''We've  settled  his  hash,  damn  him!  He  would 
have  it  and  we  gave  it  to  him — a  large  dose  in  panic 
form."  There  was  a  wrathful  brutality  in  every 
inflection  of  the  man's  voice.  Peter  wondered 
vaguely,  and  rather  absent-mindedly,  who  had  come 
in  the  way  of  Jed's  anger,  for  the  man  was  a  colossus 
in  power  and  wealth.  Indeed,  to  a  small  dozen 
financiers,  among  whom  Jed  was  conceded  to  be  the 
leader,  were  ascribed  half  the  money  deals  of  the 
market.  He  was  the  head  of  what  the  newspapers 
had  dubbed  the  ''millionaire  star  chamber." 
Hitherto  Peter  had  regarded  him  and  his  satelKtes 
with  approbation,  principally  because  of  the  courage 
and  daring  which  he  knew  they  must  possess  to  be 
able  to  concentrate  such  titanic  powers  as  were  theirs. 

Peter  heard  the  snap  of  a  match  and  caught  the 
pungent  aroma  of  good  tobacco,  before  the  other  man 
drawled : 

"Yes,  he's  been  too  busy  squaring  himself  since 
the  smash  came,  to  stay  on  our  scent."  It  was  the 
smooth  voice  of  Seth  Belden,  one  of  the  country's 
greatest  bankers — a  good  second  to  Jed  Miller  in 
power  and  in  riches. 

"Out  to  get  us,  was  he!"  growled  the  other. 
"Hammered  and  slashed  at  the  system  that  made 
him — manhandled  us  from  coast  to  coast,  and  finally 
laid  a  trap  to  catch  us  napping.     He  couldn't  believe 

47 


THE     OSTRICH 

it  when  the  panic  was  sprung,  thought  we  lacked  the 
nerve  to  strike  that  way!" 

"Is  he  going  to  keep  hands  off,  now?"  the  other 
man  interrupted. 

''He's  learned  his  lesson  this  time,  from  A  to  Z. 
He'll  muckrake,  no  doubt,  but  take  it  from  Jed  Miller, 
he's  had  his  teeth  drawn."  A  gentle  chuckle  came 
from  the  other. 

"It  was  beautifully  played!"  Belden  said.  "We 
couldn't  lose.     But  it  cost  a  few  good  men,  Jed." 

"Only  one  man  in  a  thousand  has  sense,  Seth.  The 
rest  are  imbeciles.  The  run  of  the  herd  don't  think; 
they're  too  lazy,  too  uninterested  in  themselves  to  do 
anything  for  themselves.  They  let  the  newspapers 
mold  their  ideas.  They're  just  sheep.  That's  the 
reason  we,  who  do  use  our  brains,  make  good.  It's 
as  clear  as  daylight!"  Jed's  former  bellow  had  now 
modulated  to  a  strongly  earnest  tone : 

"  We  all  know  the  thing's  got  to  end  some  day.  The 
few  can't  rule  the  many  forever.  It's  against  nature. 
But  the  ignorant  and  the  stupid  have  got  to  wake 
up  and  learn  to  use  their  heads,  before  they  can  ever 
beat  us  down  and  out,  Seth.  If  we've  got  them 
where  we  fatten  on  'em,  it's  their  fault,  not  ours." 

"What  brings  you  here?"  inquired  the  other. 

There  was  a  brief  pause,  long  enough  for  the  man 
addressed  to  have  taken  a  cautious  glance  about 
if  he  chose  to  do  so.  Then  Peter  caught  his  reply 
uttered  in  a  sort  of  chuckling  undertone: 

48 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  MERLE  WATER 

"A  little  joker/' 

The  answer  evidently  perplexed  Belden  for  he  did 
not  speak.    After  a  pause,  Jed  went  on: 

*'I'll  let  you  in,  Seth.  I'm  going  to  trim  some  of 
the  smart  set  here  at  the  Merle  Water,  to-day.  Three 
years  ago  one  of  my  agents  down  in  the  'Blue  Grass 
State'  picked  up  a  promising  stallion.  We  kept 
him  hid  a  year  and  tried  him  out  for  the  first  time  at 
Saratoga.  He  proved  to  be  a  whirlwind,  a  better 
goer  than  any  of  us  had  guessed. 

''Last  year  that  horse.  King  Richard,  took  two 
heats  down  here,  but  Neilson,  the  jockey,  had  his 
orders  to  hold  him  back.  He's  got  four  seconds  more 
under  his  collar  than  any  one  here  dreams  about, 
and  to-day  we're  going  to  let  him  have  the  bit.  He'll 
clean  'em  all  up.  It's  your  chance  to  make  a  little 
pocket  money,  Seth,  and  to  settle  old  scores  if  you 
have  any,  for  everyone's  staking  Nankin  and  she 
hasn't  got  a  chance." 

Suddenly  it  occurred  to  Peter  that  his  position 
might  be  considered  that  of  an  eavesdropper.  His 
growing  interest  in  this  gilt-edged  philosophy  and 
divulging  of  secrets  between  two  of  the  country's 
high-handed  financiers  brought  this  reflection.  In- 
stantly he  rose,  walked  through  and  joined  the 
younger  club  members,  still  in  front. 

Flippant  prophecies  on  the  results  of  the  races  and 
a  desultory  haggling  over  small  wagers  were  being 
interspersed  with  remarks  relating  to  the  late  panic. 

49 


THE    O  STRICH 

Indeed,  the  cataclysm  was  still  dominant  in  every 
mind,  although  its  crises  were  conceded  to  be  well 
over.  There  was  not  a  man  in  the  group,  save  per- 
haps Peter  himself,  who  had  not  won  or  lost  heavily 
during  the  smash.  These  were  all  typical  New  York 
business  men,  stock  brokers,  bankers,  speculators, 
all  gamesters  of  the  class  so  willing  to  strain  the  fine 
points  of  both  ethics  and  the  Constitution,  if  by 
doing  so  they  might  transfer  the  wealth  of  others  to 
their  own  pockets.  Yet,  whether  he  won  or  lost, 
each  one  in  this  crowd  knew  how  to  conceal  every 
trace  of  emotion  beneath  a  veneer  of  outward  cool- 
ness or  flippant  banter.  That  was  a  part  of  the  stock 
in  trade  of  each. 

'^Did  you  bury  Bogey?"  queried  Peter,  with  mock 
gravity  as  he  chose  a  seat  beside  Appleton,  who  had 
finally  holed  out  and  now  sat  sipping  a  rickey.  The 
other  grinned: 

''The  colonel  has  always  had  six  on  me,  and  hang 
it,  the  harder  I  try  the  worse  duffer  I  get  to  be.  It's 
like  trying  to  beat  the  game  in  the  street." 

''I  say,  Sid,  you  hole  out  in  Bogey  there,  every 
time,"  put  in  Weston  Morse.  ''I  heard  John  Merri- 
man  tell  Miller  that,  for  a  young  'un,  you'd  made 
a  bunch  of  the  bears  look  like  croquet  players  at  a 
pink  tea." 

''That's  because  I  pocketed  a  slice  of  his  profits 
when  he  tried  to  dump  that  F  and  K  stock  on  the 
public,  panic  week,"  said  Appleton.     "I  fancied  his 

50 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  MERLE  WATER 

respect  for  me  would  go  up,  for  I  beat  the  old  man 
by  sixty  minutes — got  rid  of  six  thousand  shares — a 
hundred  a  minute — before  he  came  to  and  discovered 
that  the  price  had  sagged  three  points  and  was  still 
dropping.  He  hasn't  found  out  yet  how  I  got  wind 
of  his  carefully  laid  plans." 

*'How'd  you  do  it?"  asked  a  blond,  vandyked 
man  at  Appleton's  right,  abruptly.  *'I  got  pinched 
to  the  tune  of  thirty  thousand  on  that  deal."  Sidney 
Appleton's  grin  broadened. 

"You're  not  the  only  one,  Heswick.  The  mis- 
carriage of  Merriman's  plans  put  out  two  brokerage 
firms,  closed  up  the  Pilgrim  Trust — Charlie  West 
disappeared  then,  and  they  found  what  was  left  of 
him,  later,  floating  in  the  harbor — and  a  dozen  or  so 
chaps  that  I  know  had  to  cut  out  their  extra  chauffeur 
and  close  up  a  villa  or  so  down  country  on  account 
of  that  little  coup.  And  it  was  all  because  Rhine- 
lander,  the  ^  Daily  News '  man,  got  drunk  and  blabbed 
the  tip  in  my  private  office.  How  he  dug  it  up  the 
Lord  only  knows!  I  locked  him  in,  and  then  handed 
it  to  Merriman." 

'^I  say,  Appleton,"  drawled  one  of  his  listeners, 
"who  put  you  wise  to  the  panic?  What  sort  of  a 
game  was  it?" 

The  question  trailed  off  into  a  silence,  which  some- 
how suddenly  fell  on  the  little  group.  The  same 
query  had  been  propounded  on  street  corner  and  be- 
hind closed  door  a  thousand  times  during  the  recent 

51 


THE     OSTRICH 

weeks.  Its  answer,  too,  had  been  discussed  in 
whispers  and  bruited  abroad  in  flaming  headhnes 
ever  since  the  opening  day  of  the  never-to-be-for- 
gotten crash.  Every  man  sitting  there  on  the  fash- 
ionable club  veranda  leaned  forward,  or  fell  into  some 
other  listening  posture,  to  better  catch  the  reply  of 
the  awkward-appearing,  self-contained  Appleton  who, 
though  hardly  thirty  years  of  age,  was  already  known 
as  one  of  the  cleverest  operators  in  Wall  Street. 

As  if  aware  of  the  significance  of  his  answer,  the 
youth  paused  for  the  fraction  of  a  minute,  and  looked 
about  at  the  collected  faces  and  many  pairs  of  eyes 
all  coolly  fixed  upon  himself.  Indifference,  good- 
natured  cynicism,  frank  dislike,  clearly  discerned 
friendship,  were  all  depicted  there.  He  spoke 
slowly: 

^'It  was  a  well-planned  trick — all  the  dice  were 
loaded.  The  whole  thing  was  framed  up  to  the 
fraction  of  an  hour,  and  its  purpose  was  to  save  half 
a  dozen  men — you  know  them  all — from  twenty 
years  or  more  in  stripes.  The  government  secret 
service  men  were  hard  after  them,  pressing  at  their 
heels.  And  it  did  save  them.  It  summarily  check- 
mated the  plan  of  the  man  who  has  done  more  to  beat 
the  combinations  of  wealth  and  the  stock  trader's 
game  than  any  other  single  human  being.  You  all 
know  that  man,  too.  It  was  Theodore  Roosevelt, 
the  most  dangerous  foe  the  big  crew  has  ever  had  to 
down." 

52 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  MERLE  WATER 

For  a  moment  following  this  declaration  not  a  per- 
son spoke.  Then  suddenly  from  the  doorway  behind 
came  the  roar  of  Jedediah  Miller's  voice: 

"Got  that  all  fixed  up,  young  man?  Destiny 
needs  no  sacred  oracles  as  long  as  we  have  our  infant 
prodigies  with  us.  Drop  it!  The  races  are  starting. 
We  didn't  come  here  to  talk  shop.  Make  your 
play,  gentlemen,  make  your  play!"  and  with  a 
dramatic  flourish  Jed  made  off  pompously  toward  the 
race  track. 

Peter  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  riot  of  color 
and  gay  excitement  as  he  picked  his  way  to  a  seat  in 
the  huge  grandstand.  Beneath  the  cloudless  sky 
the  oval  track  was  a  dull,  red-gray  ribbon  looped 
about  its  emerald  enclosure.  Here  and  there  in  the 
crowd  glasses  were  being  trained  upon  the  five  thor- 
oughbreds whose  drivers  were  now  jockeying  for  posi- 
tion in  front  of  the  judges'  stand,  below. 

The  air  was  warm,  but  not  oppressive.  From  the 
bandstand  rose  the  exhilarating  strains  of  one  of  the 
latest  pieces  in  ragtime.  Conversation,  sparkling 
with  wit  and  humor,  effervesced  on  all  sides,  while 
men  and  women  everywhere — many  with  gilt-edged 
tablets  and  gold-tipped  pencils — were  exchanging 
bets  at  varying  odds. 

Although  the  afternoon's  entries  included  nearly 
two  dozen  equine  stars,  interest  centred  chiefly  on 
the  initial  race  in  which  Nankin,  a  flashing  little 
bay  filly,  and  Thundercloud,  a  handsome  chestnut 

53 


THE     O  STRICH 

stallion,  were  easily  the  grandstand  favorites.  King 
Richard,  Zuzu  and  Alfred  B.,  the  other  three  entries, 
were  finding  takers,  but  at  good-sized  odds.  King 
Richard,  last  year's  winner  in  the  same  race,  was 
considered  the  best  of  the  latter  three. 

Upon  the  stalwart  Nankin,  however,  hope  generally 
centred.  Everywhere  red  and  white,  the  little  mare's 
colors,  predominated. 

Peter  heard  Sam  De  Pris,  who  sat  at  his  right, 
place  an  enormous  bet  on  the  filly  at  odds  of  two  to 
one.  Then  he  heard  Sally's  voice  wagering  at  two 
to  three  on  her  husband's  choice.  A  little  farther 
over  Victoria  Merton  was  busy  registering  bets  on  the 
same  mare  in  the  dainty  tablets  of  several  friends. 

Something  tense  in  the  manner  of  all  three  showed 
itself  in  spite  of  the  exchange  of  jests  that  occurred 
while  the  wagers  were  being  made,  and  it  caught 
Peter's  attention.  He  was  fond  of  all  three.  Hith- 
erto he  had  refrained  from  acting  upon  what  he  had 
learned,  by  accident,  concerning  King  Richard.  Now 
he  leaned  forward  and  informed  Sam  De  Pris  of  what 
he  knew.  The  other  turned  a  little  pale,  whispered 
to  Sally,  jumped  up  from  his  seat,  and  instantly 
began  seeking  takers  on  Nankin.  Peter  watched 
Sally  impart  the  secret  to  Victoria.  Then  he  re- 
sumed his  seat  and  began  following  the  horses  which 
were  now  jockeying  back  and  forth  at  the  starting 
line.  By  the  clock  in  the  pavilion  nearby  there 
was    still    five    minutes    before    the    getaway — time 

54 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    MERLE    WATER 

enough  for  Sam,  Sally  and  Victoria  to  cover  all  their 
wagers  on  Nankin  if  they  chose.  He  wondered  how 
many  others  would  get  wind  of  the  tip  and  hedge. 

Suddenly  the  judges'  pistol  cracked,  there  was 
a  blaring  of  instruments  in  the  bandstand,  a  sudden 
handclapping  and  flutter  of  colors  everywhere,  and 
he  beheld  the  five  horses  go  flashing,  neck  and  neck, 
down  the  first  quarter  of  the  oval  stretch.  It  was 
a  wonderful  start.  For  what  seemed  an  incredibly 
long  period  the  positions  of  the  five  remained  the 
same.  Then  as  they  swung  round  the  turn,  a  shout 
from  the  grandstand  proclaimed  that  the  red  and 
white  of  Nankin  and  the  blue  of  Alfred  B.  were  creep- 
ing into  the  fore,  leaving  Thundercloud  a  half-length 
behind,  with  King  Richard  and  Zuzu  a  length  still 
farther  back. 

On  flew  the  gallant  little  fighters  down  the  long 
outer  stretch.  At  the  second  quarter  Zuzu  had 
shifted  well  behind;  a  full  length  had  stretched  itself 
out  between  the  coal-black  gelding  and  King  Richard. 
Thundercloud  had  nosed  well  up  onto  Alfred  B.'s 
flank. 

Now  occurred  an  event  which  sent  a  premonitory 
thrill  through  each  of  the  hundreds  of  onlookers  in 
the  densely  packed  bleachers.  As  the  filly  was 
Hearing  the  third  quarter  mark,  the  arm  of  the  green- 
capped  figure  behind  King  Richard  was  lifted  and 
the  thong  of  a  whip  slashed  down  across  the  flank 
of  the  stallion.     Instantly  the  nose  of  King  Richard 

55 


THE     O  STRICH 

began  to  crawl  up  on  the  struggling  Alfred  B.  at  a 
rate  of  speed  which  seemed  little  less  than  marvel- 
lous. 

A  whoop  of  surprise  escaped  the  lips  of  a  man  in 
the  lower  row.  Then  in  a  body,  men  and  women 
were  on  their  feet,  leaping  upon  the  seats,  breaking 
into  a  wild  storm  of  cheering. 

For  a  second  the  heroic  Alfred  B.  held  out.  Then, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  it  seemed  to  the  excited 
onlookers.  King  Richard  had  whirled  past,  swept 
down  upon  the  flying  Thundercloud,  overhauled 
the  big  chestnut,  and  was  hard  on  the  withers  of 
Nankin. 

Pandemonium  now  reigned  among  the  spectators. 
Cheers  surged,  in  strident  waves,  across  the  field. 
Could  the  stallion  wrest  the  laurels  from  the  little 
bay?  It  seemed  impossible!  With  every  muscle 
and  nerve  straining  beneath  her  glossy  skin,  the 
beautiful  filly  was  working  like  a  splendid  machine. 

Thirty — twenty — ten  yards  from  the  finish,  and 
she  still  held  out,  flashing  on  through  the  red  dust 
like  a  wind-blown  cloud. 

Then,  when  it  seemed  as  if  neither  horse  could  gain 
an  inch  upon  the  other,  the  lash  of  King  Richard's 
driver  cracked  again.  As  the  blow  fell,  the  mighty 
stallion  surged  ahead,  and,  in  a  whirlwind  burst  that 
drove  the  bleachers  m.ad,  caught  the  wire  a  full  half 
head  over  the  mare. 

Cheers  still  swept  the  field  when  a  hand  was  laid 

56 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  MERLE  WATER 

on  Peter's  shoulder,  and  he  glanced  round  to  find 
Sam  De  Pris  at  his  elbow. 

*'God  knows  where  you  got  the  tip,  Stuyvie,"  he 
said,  ''but  you've  saved  my  life,"  and  the  big  six- 
footer  gripped  the  other's  hand. 

Later,  when  the  rest  of  the  races  had  been  run  off 
and  Peter  stood  waiting  at  the  foot  of  the  club-house 
steps,  he  heard  the  growl  of  Jed  Miller's  voice  ad- 
dressing Belden  as  the  two  rode  away: 

"The  horse  is  a  wonder,  but  a  lot  of  wise  ones  found 
it  out  at  the  last  minute  and  hedged.  If  somebody 
hadn't  blabbed  I'd  have  trimmed  the  whole  bunch!" 
And  Peter  smiled  as  he  seated  himself  in  his  car  and 
started  back  for  New  York. 


57 


V 

THE   CRISIS 

Peter's  mood  perplexed  him. 

With  his  godmother  and  Ann  Newman  he  had  set 
out  from  New  York  bent  upon  making  the  day 
a  memorably  enjoyable  one.  Everything  external 
seemed  to  conspire  toward  that  result:  the  azure 
sky  overhead;  the  russet,  crimson  and  gold  leaves 
that  made  each  roadside  grove  and  foliaged  vista  a 
bit  of  enchanted  landscape;  the  invigorating  fresh- 
ness of  the  October  forenoon;  the  presence  of  the 
two  women,  both  in  the  best  of  spirits. 

It  was  Peter  himself — a  new  presence  within  him — • 
that  proved  restless  and  perturbed.  His  buoyant 
nature  labored  under  a  repression  which  neither  the 
auspicious  surroundings,  his  happy  companions,  nor 
the  soft,  rhythmic  purr  of  the  powerful  automobile 
could  dispel. 

A  series  of  events,  which  had  made  the  days  un- 
forgettable since  his  arrival  in  New  York,  had  wrought 
in  him  a  crucial  change  of  viewpoint.  His  was  a 
revolution  of  mind  and  spirit. 

Half  an  hour  before,  he  had  welcomed  his  god- 
mother and  the  beautiful  girl  now  sitting  beside  her 

58 


THE     CRISIS 

with  a  cheerfulness  that  belied  his  present  inner  com- 
motion. He  had  heroically  endeavored  to  stick  to 
banter  and  his  accustomed  optimism,  but  his  vein 
of  seriousness  would  not  be  diverted.  It  held  firm 
sway  over  him. 

And  the  initial  source  of  it  all  was  Ann's  first  in- 
spired utterance  to  him.  He  could  not  forget  that 
evening  in  Jerusalem.  Her  message  had  kindled 
a  flame  in  his  consciousness  which  he  had  sought  to 
extinguish  in  vain.  However  esoteric  and  mystical 
her  words  had  seemed  to  him  since,  there  was  no 
gainsaying  their  potency  upon  his  spirit.  An  evo- 
lutionary process  had  been  started.  Little  by  little 
his  mind  had  begun  to  surge  forward  into  new  paths. 
His  subsequent  meeting  with  his  friend.  Max,  and 
the  latter's  satirical  arraignment  had  quickened  this 
awakening.  Then  the  distressing  events  of  the 
panic  period,  including  the  paralysis  of  John  Sea- 
bury,  had  followed  in  rapid  succession.  One  prob- 
lem after  another  had  crowded  upon  his  mind.  It 
was  an  awakening.  Old  convictions  were  being  up- 
rooted.   A  riot  of  new  ones  filled  his  thoughts. 

Each  step  in  this  mental  turmoil  brought  him  face 
to  face  with  new  flaws  in  the  code  of  that  social  class 
to  which  he  had  hitherto  felt  that  he  belonged.  He 
was  well  aware  that  it  was  one  thing  to  recognize 
the  evils  of  a  social  standard  and  quite  a  different 
matter  to  discover  a  remedy  for  such  evils.  But  he 
had  definitely  reached  a  turning  point.     The  per- 

59 


THE     O  STRICH 

sistency  of  his  present  agitation  made  that  clear. 
Whither  the  next  pathway  was  to  take  him  and  how 
he  was  to  be  guided  were  still  unsettled  problems. 

Mrs.  Van  Siddons,  with  her  quickness  of  intuition 
and  her  intimate  knowledge  of  Peter,  divined  some- 
thing of  his  perplexity,  and  she  tactfully  endeavored 
to  keep  the  conversation  upon  the  lighter  subjects. 

It  was  Ann  who  opened  the  way  for  Peter  to  un- 
burden his  mind.  They  had  been  riding  for  some 
time  through  a  rolling  country  where  the  level  and 
smooth  road  bisected  vast  areas  of  arable  fields  and 
woodlands,  in  which  the  landscape  artist  had  taken 
advantage  of  every  cunning  of  his  art  to  reproduce 
the  most  resplendent  aspects  in  nature.  Formality 
of  hedge,  wall,  sun-dial,  statuette  and  potted  ferns 
was  relieved  by  a  prodigahty  of  foliage  that  ran  riot 
in  the  transcendent  hues  of  late  October,  and  amid 
which  there  flashed  into  view,  now  and  then,  glimpses 
of  one  or  more  of  those  sumptuous,  many-winged 
abodes  of  granite  and  brick  to  which  the  New  York 
millionaire  is  wont  to  refer  as  his  country  place. 
The  girl's  eyes  had  been  intent  upon  the  scenery. 

''What  lavish  expenditures  of  money  are  here!" 
she  exclaimed. 

''But  not  extravagant  if  we  credit  the  rich  with  an 
appreciation  of  beauty.  Nothing  is  extravagant  to 
the  true  lover  of  art,"  said  Mrs.  Van  Siddons. 

"When  I  compare  the  squalor  and  wretchedness 
of  the  poor  with  the  luxury  of  these  costly  mansions 

60 


THE     CRISIS 

and  surroundings,  I  find  it  hard  to  forgive  a  society 
that  breeds  such  a  shocking  contrast,"  said  Ann.  " If 
wealth  can  be  poured  out  as  it  is  here,  to  pamper  the 
whims  of  the  few,  why  are  there  so  many  thousands 
of  suffering  mothers  and  babies — why  so  many 
famines  that  lack  for  the  bare  necessities  of  life? 
The  greatest  wrong  in  our  country,  to-day,  is  the 
poor." 

^'What  is  your  remedy  for  such  conditions?"  asked 
Peter,  leaning  forward.  "You  who  are  so  conscious 
of  the  sufferings  of  the  needy  must  have  in  mind 
some  cure.  I  want  to  do  something  to  help  mend  the 
world's  mistakes.  If  the  possession  of  wealth  so 
upsets  the  social  balance,  how  can  one  help  to  change 
it?  There  are  thousands  of  other  evils,  too;  I  find 
them  on  all  sides.  Is  there  no  panacea?"  His  un- 
mistakable earnestness  was  his  tacit  tribute  to  the 
girl's  breadth  of  mind. 

''There  is  a  way  to  upbuild  society  which  will 
unite  men  in  a  lasting  bond  of  fellowship,"  she 
answered.  ''Such  a  plan  calls  for  the  application 
of  truth  along  new  lines.  Those  who  search  until 
they  find  out  and  are  guided  by  this  plan  will 
indeed  share  in  the  glory  of  a  great  achievement. 

'God  has  conferred  how  many  blessings  upon 
human  beings!  Nature's  world  stores  are  sufficient 
for  the  comfort  and  enjoyment  of  all  men  to  the  last 
individual.  Yet  what  a  host  of  suffering  and  needy 
there  are  always! 

6i 


THE     OSTRICH 

"The  rich  number  eight  hundred  thousand — less 
than  one  per  cent,  of  all  the  people  in  the  country — 
yet  this  small  fraction  owns  more  than  ninety  per 
cent,  of  all  the  wealth.  Less  than  ten  per  cent,  is 
left  for  the  rest. 

"The  wealth  of  a  certain,  single  capitalist  is  said 
to  equal  the  combined  labor  earnings  of  all  the  people 
for  a  year. 

*'Is  it  not  hard  for  the  great  mass  of  human  beings 
to  do  right  or  to  think  right  under  such  conditions? 
Is  not  the  better  side  of  man  naturally  submerged 
when  the  fight  is  so  intense  to  keep  the  head  above 
water?  Because  of  the  oppression  of  riches,  is  not  the 
incentive  always  toward  wrong-doing?  Only  the 
making-over  of  society  will  destroy  this  evil.  Such  a 
reconstruction  is  a  colossal  task.  It  means  the  up- 
rooting of  great  systems — systems  which,  perhaps, 
have  been  necessary  to  progress  in  the  past,  but  which 
now  bUght  the  advance  of  mankind. 

"Each  year  thousands  of  men  and  women  suicide 
or  go  insane  because  of  poverty;  tuberculosis,  in- 
duced by  lack  of  proper  food  and  care,  claims  its 
army  of  unfortunates;  a  host  of  young  and  middle- 
aged  women  are  sacrificed  annually  to  the  terrible 
social  curse.  The  increase  of  crime  here  is  said  to  be 
far  greater  than  in  other  countries  of  the  world. 

"We  know  that  the  fundamental  purpose  of  gov- 
ernment is  to  insure  to  all  the  ordinary  guarantees  of 
civilization  and  to  protect  Hfe,  property  and  liberty. 

62 


THE     CRISIS 

Yet  if  you  will  compare  our  country  with  others  of 
relative  importance,  it  will  be  found  that  we  are  at 
the  bottom  of  the  hst  of  those  nations  which  thus 
justify  the  purpose  of  government. 

"In  this  country  there  are  one  hundred  murders 
to  every  hundred  thousand  persons.  That  is  ten 
times  more  than  the  murder  rate  in  England;  twenty- 
three  times  more  than  it  is  in  Scotland;  fifteen  times 
more  than  it  is  in  Canada.  The  number  of  m.urdcrs 
here  in  the  past  twenty  years  equals  a  greater  number 
than  all  the  Northern  soldiers  killed  in  the  Rebellion. 

"And  this  is  by  no  means  all,"  the  girl  continued, 
her  mind  seeming  to  yield  its  wonderful  resources 
more  and  more  lavishly  as  she  proceeded,  "think 
of  the  loss  of  individuality  which  this  bondage  of 
wealth  has  wrought! 

"Where  is  the  man  who  does  not  wish  to  be  his 
own  master— to  originate,  to  plan,  to  achieve  of 
himself?  Yet  no  longer  is  the  pathway  free  for  men 
to  do  this.  The  ranks  of  every  trade  and  every  pro- 
fession are  becoming  more  and  more  overcrowded. 
Marvellous  machines  perform  the  work  which  formerly 
engaged  many  men.  Avenues  of  individual  achieve- 
ment are  becoming  fewer  and  fewer.  Great  aggre- 
gations of  wealth  now  make  it  impossible  for  the 
man  of  Hmited  means  to  undertake  a  business  of  his 
own  with  any  hope  of  success.  Even  though  he  is 
fortunate  enough,  or  clever  enough,  to  discover  a 
process  in  trade  whereby  he  can  undersell  others,  his 

^3 


THE     O  STRICH 

handicap  of  small  capital  renders  him  still  an  easy 
prey  to  competing  combinations  of  great  wealth. 
The  very  rich  man  has  secured  himself  in  a  hundred 
ways,  each  of  which  adds  a  new  fetter  to  the  bond- 
age of  the  poor  man.  The  millionaire  owns  the  rail- 
roads, the  sources  of  production,  the  raw  materials, 
the  fundamental  products  and  the  industries.  This 
absolute  control  eliminates  all  the  poor  man's  chances 
of  rising.  He  must  remain  a  subject — a  paid  work- 
man, with  no  hope  of  being  anything  else.  Even  the 
diminishing  few  who  are  thought  to  head  small  inde- 
pendent concerns  are  in  many  cases  the  playthings 
of  the  capitalist's  will.  No  one  is  his  own  boss. 
Personal  initiative  is  well  nigh  impossible." 

*^I  have  noticed  that  this  passion  for  riches  has 
overshadowed  even  the  vision  of  those  who,  it  seems  to 
me,  ought  to  retain  their  clearness  of  sight,"  said  Peter. 

^'It  is  like  a  dreadful  disease;  it  has  infected  the 
thoughts  and  the  utterances  of  those  to  whom  we 
look  for  guidance — the  preachers,"  agreed  the  girl. 
"Too  many  ministers  already  have  been  contami- 
nated, though  I  often  feel  that  the  tainting  process, 
in  many  cases,  has  occurred  imconsciously.  Yet 
demoralization  exists  in  every  great  centre  and  has 
affected  many  of  the  leaders  in  every  faith.  Not 
only  has  church  direction  been  brought  imder  bond- 
age, but  in  different  ways  religious  faith  has  come  to 
be  subverted  to  the  same  domination.  I  mean,  the 
practice  of  the  Golden  Rule,  which  ought  to  be  the 

64 


THE    CRISIS 

basis  of  religion,  has  come  to  be  more  and  more 
unusual.  The  great  mass  of  the  people  are  so  en- 
grossed with  the  worries  of  getting  their  meagre  living 
that  they  have  lost  the  inclination  to  develop  the 
spiritual  side  which  religion  should  foster.'' 

^' Would  you  criticise  the  church  for  that?"  asked 
Peter. 

"I  believe  that  the  church  should  give  up  dic- 
tating a  set  of  opinions  to  its  members,"  was  her 
reply.  ^'The  church  should  help  to  develop  each 
one  in  his  own  best  life.  Instead  of  being  a  union 
of  those  of  the  same  opinion,  it  should  be  a  union  of 
those  who  desire  to  cultivate  to  the  fullest  their  moral 
and  spiritual  natures. 

^'The  religion  of  the  to-day,  the  religion  that 
touches  men's  hearts  closest  and  deepest,  is  that  which 
contains  the  essence  of  all  truth,  regardless  of  creed 
or  cult.  The  doctrine  of  humanity  is  the  first  tenet 
of  true  religion.  The  church  should  not  lose  sight  of 
that  fact.  I  believe  that  the  religion  of  the  future 
will  combine  the  best  in  every  great  faith  of  the  past, 
recognizing  that  all  contain  great  and  soul-satisfy- 
ing truths,  and  that  the  great  teachers  of  each  were 
inspired  by  divine  convictions.  Layman,  priest, 
rabbi  or  mdnister  will  be  honored  then  only  in  pro- 
portion as  each  serves  humanity  and  teaches  that 
harmony  with  God  is  love,  and  that  love  is  harmony. 
He  who  preaches  discord  will  be  discredited.  Use- 
less   ctremonies    and    sectarianism    will    disappear. 

65 


THE     O  STRICH 

Whatever  the  color  or  the  nationahty  of  the  wor- 
shipper, he  will  know  that  one  God  of  love  overrules 
all.  Amount  of  service  for  humanity  will  be  the 
measure  of  every  man's  worth." 

Both  Mrs.  Van  Siddons  and  Peter  had  listened  to 
the  girl's  utterances  with  close  attention,  greatly 
astonished  to  hear  from  Ann's  lips  such  a  store  of 
sound  and  convincing  philosophy  regarding  the  prob- 
lems of  human  existence.  Peter  thought  of  the  labor, 
concentration  and  effort  that  it  must  have  cost  her 
in  order  to  so  clearly  understand  the  rights  and  wrongs 
of  humanity.  His  ambitions  were  quickened.  He 
felt  that  he,  too,  must  arrive  at  convictions,  not  by 
the  study  of  theory,  but  by  investigation,  and  by 
seeking  far  and  wide,  until  he  found  a  satisfactory 
answer  to  each  question  that  demanded  an  answer. 
He  was  eager  to  begin.  The  girl's  words  were  a  two- 
fold inspiration,  because  it  was  she  who  had  first  roused 
this  new  longing  in  him  to  better  himself  and  others. 

*'Fraulein,"  he  said,  *'I  mean  to  emulate  you.  I 
shall  leave  nothing  undone  that  will  aid  me  to  help 
correct  the  perplexities  of  human  life  and  the  hin- 
drances to  human  happiness.  The  many  evils  that 
you  have  studied  so  closely,  it  shall  be  likewise  my 
task  to  analyze.  I  will  devote  my  life  to  this  Call 
of  the  Ages.  I  vaU  traverse  the  earth,  from  corner 
to  corner  if  need  be,  to  fit  myself  to  become  the 
instrument  of  its  summons." 

To  the  girl  his  voice  had  a  prophetic  ring.     For  the 

66 


THE    CRISIS 

first  time  she  guessed  at  the  doggedness  of  purpose 
that  lay  beneath  the  well-groomed  exterior  of  Peter 
Rutledge.  She  knew  that  the  great  crisis  had  come 
in  his  life:  she  knew,  too,  that  he  was  ready  to  face 
it.^  Because  of  her  love  for  the  lowly  in  Hfe,  she  re- 
joiced. He  would  work,  henceforth,  for  them.  It 
pleased  her,  too,  to  think  that  her  own  earnestness  of 
purpose  had  been  the  means  of  winning  him  to  the 
highest  of  all  causes. 

Mrs.  Van  Siddons's  voice  interrupted  the  trend  of 
their  thoughts: 

'Trofessor  Seabury  apparently  is  fated  to  remain 
a  helpless  cripple  for  the  rest  of  his  Hfe.  But  penni- 
less though  they  are,  Alicia  refuses  to  accept  help, 
even  from  her  dearest  friends.  She  has  arranged  to 
take  a  little  tenement  in  the  East  Side,  and  as  soon 
as  her  father  is  well  enough  to  be  moved,  she  declares 
that  they  will  both  go  there  to  live." 

''Surely  he  had  something  left— a  little  property.^'' 
queried  Peter. 

''Notapenny,"replied  his  godmother.  "Hisfinances 
were  in  very  bad  shape  when  he  went  abroad.  The  ab- 
sconding of  John  Weld  stripped  him  of  everything." 

''But  Ahcia  is  very  brave  and  determined.  She  is 
already  interesting  herself  in  some  poor  girls  of  the 
East  Side,"  said  Ann.  ^'At  my  concert,  to-night, 
about  fifty  of  them,  who  work  in  the  sweat-shops,  will 
come  to  hear  me  under  her  sponsorship." 

"So  you  are  to  begin  your  performances  in  New 

67 


THE     OSTRICH 

York?"  asked  Peter.  ''Shall  I  be  permitted  to  come 
as  a  spectator,  to-night?" 

"As  the  proceeds  are  for  a  new  social  club-house 
for  the  working-girls,  you  will  be  doubly  welcome. 
Come  and  bring  all  your  friends;  the  more,  the  bet- 
ter." As  she  concluded,  the  automobile  stopped 
before  a  quaint,  old-fashioned  inn  where  a  few  min- 
utes later  they  all  sat  down  to  a  splendidly  served 
luncheon.  Then,  after  another  delightful  ride,  this 
time  along  the  seashore,  they  returned  home,  Peter 
putting  Ann  down  at  the  Seabury  home,  and  dropping 
his  godmother  at  the  fine,  old  Van  Siddons  family 
mansion  where  so  many  of  New  York's  brilliant 
social  gatherings  had  been  held  in  times  past. 

''You  are  abandoning  all  your  old  idols?"  asked 
his  godmother  as  he  was  assisting  her  out  of  the  car. 

"Agatha,"  he  replied  warmly,  clinging  to  her  cool 
hand  for  an  instant,  "if  I  can  serve  the  millions  who 
are  now  so  enslaved  by  the  oppressions  of  wealth,  I 
intend  to  render  that  service  to  its  fullest — just  as 
she  is  striving  to  render  service  to  them  every  day 
she  lives.     I  cannot  do  less  than  she." 

"But,  Peter,  have  you  counted  the  many  burdens 
that  will  have  to  be  shouldered,  the  many  irksome 
tasks  that  will  need  be  performed?  It  will  not  be 
all  sunshine  and  pleasure." 

"Godmother,  I  mean  to  give  all  that  I  possess  to 
the  work,"  he  responded. 

This  determination  still  possessed  him  when  he 

68 


THE     CRISIS 

found  a  seat  beside  Mrs.  Van  Siddons,  that  evening, 
just  as  the  curtain  went  up  in  the  Empire  auditorium, 
disclosing  Ann  Newman,  seated  at  the  piano. 

The  great,  high-arched  hall  was  crowded.  To 
Peter  it  was  a  strange  mingling  of  faces  and  of  social 
castes.  Directly  in  the  centre,  and  very  close  to 
the  front,  sat  the  group  of  working-girls  who  were  to 
profit  by  the  performance.  Alicia,  a  little  pale,  but 
smiling  with  her  gray  eyes,  sat  with  them.  To  the 
right  of  these,  and  half-way  back  in  the  room,  an- 
other space  was  occupied  by  a  crowd  of  mothers, 
working-women,  and  dwellers  of  the  tenement  dis- 
trict, who,  like  the  group  of  girls,  had  been  admitted 
free.  The  rest  of  the  seats,  including  those  in  the 
balconies  and  the  boxes,  were  filled  with  such  a  horde 
of  New  York's  rich  and  fashionable  society  women, 
with  a  sprinkling  of  men,  as  Peter  had  never  seen 
together  at  once,  outside  the  opera  or  the  horse  show. 
In  fact,  the  gathering  here  of  so  much  wealth  and 
splendor  greatly  perplexed  him,  until  his  godmother 
cleared  up  the  mystery : 

*'I  have  been  coaching  New  York  to  attend  this 
performance,  since  the  day  we  got  back,"  she  said. 
^'1  sent  out  two  thousand  personal  letters  for  to- 
night's recital.  Max,  who  has  been  made  Ann's  man- 
ager, of  course  aided  also." 

Peter  glanced  at  her,  admiringly: 

''Agatha,  you  ought  to  have  been  a  man,"  he  said, 
grinning. 

69 


THE     OSTRICH 

''After  to-night  I  mean  that  there  shall  be  small 
need  of  serious,  press-agent  work  for  Ann,"  she  said. 

Fraulein  Newman  was  dressed  all  in  white,  with  a 
single,  soft  red  rose  in  the  bodice  of  her  gown.  The 
mass  of  her  burnished,  clustering  hair  set  off  her 
flushed  cheeks  and  tapering  neck.  Her  eyes  were  se- 
rene; her  attitude,  that  of  one  remote  from  the  audi- 
ence and  all  her  immediate  surroundings,  as  her  beau- 
tiful, tapering  fingers  touched  the  first  chords  in  one 
of  Debussy's  marvellous  dream  impressions. 

From  that  instant  Ann  Newman  became  the  fair 
idol  of  all  New  York's  music  lovers.  As  she  wan- 
dered through  theme  after  theme,  interpreting  Gou- 
nod, Wagner,  Chopin  and  Mendelssohn,  with  a  skill 
which  even  those  great  masters  would  have  admired, 
wave  after  wave  of  applause,  each  more  enthusiastic 
than  the  preceding  one,  proved  conclusively  that 
New  York  was  welcoming  her  as  a  great  artist. 

Peter  sat  enthralled:  his  heart  beating  loud;  his 
senses  thrilled  by  her  exquisite  and  inspired  inter- 
pretations.   At  last  he  heard  a  voice  nearby,  saying: 

^'0,  it's  great!  it's  great!  She's  taken  the  town 
by  storm!  This  is  a  day  long  to  be  remembered  by 
us,"  and  turning  he  descried  the  impulsive  Max,  a 
huge  chrysanthemum  in  his  buttonhole,  beaming  upon 
Mrs.  Van  Siddons. 

^'Your  work  is  surely  being  made  easy  for  you," 
was  her  reply. 

"It's  the  greatest  demonstration  that  New  York 


THE     CRISIS 

has  witnessed  in  a  decade,"  ''The  Muckraker"  went 
on,  ''but  that  is  not  all:  it's  a  spectacle  like  this," 
he  nodded  toward  the  group  of  girls  and  working- 
women  in  the  front  of  the  room,  "that  sets  the  best 
possible  example  for  humanizing  work.  Give  this 
crowd  of  fashionables  a  few  more  such  illustrations, 
and  they  may  become  convinced  that  the  poor  have 
hearts  and  temperaments  too." 

And  as  Peter  looked  down  from  where  he   sat 
and  beheld  the  selfsame  rapt  expression  of  interest 
on   the   faces   of   the   women  of    fashion   and   the 
countenances  of  those  whose  lives  were  usually  con- 
sumed in  damp  basements   or  illy-ventilated  tene- 
ments, he  marvelled  at  the  levelHng  force  of  nature 
when  the  heart  is  touched  by  the  inspiration  of  genius. 
After  the  thunder  of  applause  had  subsided  amid 
many  wild  echoings  of  "brava,  brava!"    Peter  at 
last  found  himself  face  to  face  with  Arm,  his  emotions 
so  wrought  up  by  the  influence  of  her  playing  that  it 
required  much  self-control  to  restrain  the  extrava- 
gant words  of  praise  that  came  to  his  lips.     What  he 
finally  said,  was: 

''I  have  never  heard  anything  like  it,  Fraulein." 
She  donned  her  cloak,  slipped  her  hand  beneath  his 
arm  and  was  guiding  him  toward  the  limousine  at 
the  entrance,  before  she  replied: 

"To-night  I  played  from  inspiration,  for  the  sake 
of  the  poor,  but  it  was  you  of  whom  I  thought  and 
to  whom  I  tried  to  speak." 

71 


THE     O  STRICH 

"And  what  was  the  message  of  the  music?"  he 
asked,  his  pulses  throbbing. 

**I  wanted  to  help  you — to  make  the  task  ahead  of 
you  seem  easier." 

''And  why  do  you  tell  me  this?  May  I  always 
look  for  such  interest  and  friendship  from  you?"  he 
asked  softly,  as  the  car  stopped  and  the  door  swung 
open. 

"Think  only  of  the  work  that  lies  before  you  now," 
she  answered,  letting  her  hand  rest  for  an  instant  in 
his.  Then  she  turned  and  ran  up  the  steps  of  the 
Seabury  house. 


72 


VI 

A    CRUSADE  THAT  FAILED 

"By  their  deeds  ye  shall  know  them.  Let  your 
influence,  mothers,  your  votes,  fathers,  put  an  end 
to  wholesale  corruption,  machine  control  in  pohti:s, 
and  an  unmoral  condition  such  as  seldom  has  bcv^n 
duplicated  in  any  city  of  the  world ! 

"The  saloon  must  go.  And  who  here  would  be 
counted  on  the  side  of  evil?  I  will  answer:  not  one 
among  you.  Am  I  not  right?  Let  all  stand  up  who 
will  support  this  crusade  against  error  and  crime!" 

It  was  the  voice  of  Dr.  John  Northup,  the  great 
evangeHst,  thundering  forth  his  rallying  call.  As  he 
ceased  speaking,  a  vast  concourse  of  men  and  women 
rose  as  a  single  person.  Hundreds  of  tear-stained 
faces  were  uplifted. 

Peter  Rutledge  thrilled  at  the  spectacle.  For  the 
first  time  he  beheld  a  great  metropolitan  revival, 
one  of  a  series  which  had  been  launched  in  a  city  of 
over  a  million  people,  and  which  was  attracting  the 
attention  of  the  entire  country  because  of  its  size 
and  purpose. 

Seventy-five  of  the  world's  most  renowned  revival- 
ists, and  the  foremost  corps  of  temperance  reformers 

73 


THE    OSTRICH 

in  the  country,  composed  the  army  of  speciaHsts. 
The  doors  of  sixty  churches  welcomed  them.  Con- 
tributions were  lavishly  outpoured.  Two  and  some- 
times three  meetings  were  held  daily,  in  the  different 
houses  of  worship,  theatres  and  other  semi-public 
buildings.  Seldom  was  standing  room,  even,  to  be 
had  at  any  of  the  services.  At  the  Central  Church, 
where  Dr.  Northup  usually  presided,  waiting  lines 
that  stretched  a  block  or  more  from  the  doors  were 
the  rule.  The  city  throbbed  with  emotionalism. 
Each  day  witnessed  hundreds  of  conversions.  News- 
papers far  and  wide,  in  both  editorial  and  news  col- 
umns, discussed  the  crusade.  Indeed,  the  impor- 
tance ascribed  to  Dr.  Northup's  campaign  by  the 
New  York  newspapers  had  first  enlisted  Peter's  inter- 
est.    He  had  come  on  to  see  for  himself. 

Now  as  the  fervor  of  the  great  revivalist's  appeal 
brought  response  from  thousands,  he  felt  that  his 
journey  had  not  been  in  vain. 

"Here  is  one  of  life's  truth-inspiring  forces,"  he 
told  himself. 

At  the  close  of  the  service  he  introduced  himself  to 
Dr.  Northup,  and  offered  his  aid  in  the  work. 

The  great  evangelist  was  interested.  His  mar- 
vellous powers  of  analysis  were  focussed  upon 
Peter  for  a  moment.  Then  he  thrust  out  his  hand, 
saying: 

"Some  day,  perhaps,  you  will  welcome  others  as 
gladly  as  I  do  you,  now." 

74 


A    CRUSADE    THAT    FAILED 

Thus  Peter  became  a  figure  in  the  revival,  contrib- 
uting and  performing  personal  service  wherever  he 
could. 

Always  bent  upon  getting  at  the  truth,  he  contin- 
ually studied  the  fundamental  motives  that  actuated 
the  movement,  with  a  keen  eye  to  election  day,  when 
it  was  predicted  that  the  city  would  rise  up,  almost 
to  a  man,  and  unburden  itself  of  intemperance  and 
its  allied  forces  of  corruption.  Failure  in  the  face  of 
what  appeared  to  be  an  unprecedented  wakening  of 
the  voters  seemed  impossible. 

Week  after  week  the  outpourings  of  people  con- 
tinued. That  he  might  the  better  keep  his  fingers 
on  the  pulse  of  the  movement,  Peter  chose  his  quar- 
ters at  the  same  downtown  hotel  where  Dr.  Northup, 
Dr.  Altman  and  the  most  noted  of  the  evangelists 
stayed.  He  was  a  constant  attendant  at  the  meetings. 
He  met  scores  of  the  city's  wealthy  and  prominent  busi- 
ness men  who,  being  church  members  and  church  trus- 
tees, were  liberal  promoters  of  the  cause  of  reform. 

All  warmly  commended  the  crusade,  but  none  more 
so  than  Jackson  Woods,  president  of  the  Bussey 
National  Bank,  and  the  donor  of  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars toward  the  revival  fund. 

"It  means  a  wholesale  house-cleaning — the  rout- 
ing of  corruption,  inhumanity  and  crime  throughout 
the  city,"  he  enthusiastically  told  Peter,  who  was 
much  impressed  at  this  heartfelt  utterance  of  the 
broadclothed,  conservative  banker. 

75 


THE     OSTRICH 

Woods'  eulogy  had  preceded  a  combined  temper- 
ance and  religious  rally  for  men,  held  at  noon  in 
Broad  Theatre,  in  the  heart  of  the  down-town 
district.     Peter  and  the  banker  had  met  in  the  lobby. 

When  the  rally  opened,  every  seat  in  the  audi- 
torium and  galleries,  and  the  standing-room  spaces 
even  in  the  lobbies,  were  filled. 

Dr.  Blarot,  a  distinguished  temperance  worker,  was 
the  leading  speaker,  and  as  he  set  forth,  one  by  one, 
vivid,  heart-compelling  pictures  of  experiences  in  the 
drunkard's  home,  a  gradual  hush  settled  upon  the 
listening  throng,  until  every  word  could  be  heard  in 
the  most  remote  corner  of  the  room: 

*'It  is  the  bitterest  cup  of  humanity.  Sixty  thou- 
sand souls  a  year  is  the  price  we  pay  for  drink — sixty 
thousand,  besides  that  countless  number  of  innocent 
children — babes,  little  ones  just  clinging  to  a  mother's 
skirts,  and  impressionable  small  boys  and  girls,  whose 
inheritance  is  the  sordid  misery  and  poverty  of  the 
drunkard's  child. 

**  Shall  you  permit  such  a  curse  to  prey  upon 
you?  Shall  the  saloon  destroy  the  irresponsible  and 
the  weak,  because  of  your  indifference?  Shall  an 
army  of  mothers  and  children  pay  toll  in  suffering, 
because  you  neglect  to  help  them  at  the  polls?" 

The  speaker's  voice  had  risen.  His  words  fell  like 
blows  upon  the  senses  of  his  hearers.  At  the  height 
of  the  climax,  he  ceased  speaking,  leaped  from  the 
platform,  sprang  down  the  aisle,  and  lifting  a  Httle 

76 


A     CRUSADE     THAT     FAILED 

girl  from  her  father's  arms,  he  bore  the  child  back 
to  the  stage. 

''Though  you  should  fail,  I  shall  surely  cast  my 
vote  to  save  such  little  ones  as  this.''  His  eyes 
flashed  over  the  sea  of  upturned  faces.  The  flaxen 
hair  of  the  child  shone  like  a  mesh  of  silken  strands 
upon  his  coatsleeve.  A  soft  smile  of  dehght,  at  thus 
becoming  the  centre  of  attraction,  suddenly  curved 
the  baby's  lips  in  a  scarlet  bow  and  caused  her  blue 
eyes  to  dance  exultantly.  Dr.  Blarot's  arm  gently 
enfolded  the  small,  silent  figure. 

''For  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  Heaven."  As  the 
words  fell  from  his  lips,  not  a  man  of  all  the  multitude 
present  but  felt  the  force  of  that  graphic  appeal.  It 
went  straight  to  every  heart. 

Peter  still  carried  with  him  the  memory  of  that 
innocent  child  in  Dr.  Blarot's  arms  when,  after  he  had 
left  the  hall,  he  found  his  progress  suddenly  blocked 
by  a  ragged  newsboy  of  about  thirteen,  whose  thin 
frame  was  convulsed  with  a  paroxysm  of  coughing. 

"Pretty  bad  cough,  son,"  he  said,  resting  his  hand 
for  a  moment  on  the  boy's  shoulder.  The  youngster 
pulled  himself  together. 

"Paper,  mister?"     His  eyes  lighted  eagerly. 

Peter  took  the  news  sheet  extended  to  him — it 
was  the  boy's  last  one — and  placed  a  dollar  bill  in 
the  small  hand. 

"Can't  change  dat,  sir."  Another  coughing  fit 
seized  him.     Peter  waited  a  moment.     Then  he  said: 

77 


THE     O  STRICH 

"Never  mind  the  change." 

The  boy  straightened  up  in  amazement. 

''Yer  don't  mean  th'  whole  dollar's  fer  me?" 

Peter  nodded.  Heedless  of  consequences  to  him- 
self, the  newsie  let  out  a  sudden  whoop  and  danced 
half  a  dozen  jig  steps  on  the  concrete. 

*'Gee,  dat'll  square  de  rent  ter-morrer,"  he  cried, 
at  last.  "Dad  was  shy  a  bone  and  de  rent  guy  don't 
stand  fer  shortage." 

"Where  do  you  live?"  asked  Peter,  impressed  with 
this  picture  of  affairs. 

"On  Third  Street,"  answered  the  boy.  Peter  hesi- 
tated an  instant. 

"  Come  on,  I'll  walk  home  with  you,"  he  said,  finally. 

Ten  minutes  later,  emerging  from  the  darkness  of 
three,  damp-smelling  flights  of  stairways,  the  little 
conductor  pushed  open  a  door,  and  darting  eagerly 
forward,  cried: 

"Father,  look,  a  visitor!"  Peter  saw  the  boy  press 
the  dollar  bill  and  a  few  pennies — the  return  of  his 
afternoon  sales — into  the  hands  of  a  stoop-shouldered 
man  who  looked  prematurely  old,  and  very  gray. 

The  room  was  about  twelve  by  fifteen  feet  square, 
Hghted  only  by  a  single,  small,  dirty-paned  window 
overlooking  an  alley.  It  was  plain  that  the  sunshine 
never  crept  in  here.  It  reeked  with  the  staleness  of 
stagnant  air. 

Besides  the  father,  a  hollow-cheeked,  pallid  woman, 
with  feverish  eyeballs,  a  boy  of  about  eight,  and  a 

78 


A     CRUSADE    THAT    FAILED 

little  girl  Hearing  five,  with  sightless  eyes,  occupied 
the  room. 

When  the  door  opened,  the  man  and  woman  were 
huddled  together  near  the  window  engaged  in  sewing 
together  parts  of  unfinished  garments,  several  others 
of  which  lay  on  a  table  in  the  centre  of  the  room.     The 
boy  sitting  nearest  the  door  was  occupied  in  drawing 
the  basting  threads  from  one  of  the  completed  piecel 
of  work.     The  blind  girl  sat  in  a  farther  corner  of 
the  apartment,  upon  a  torn  and  much-worn  mattress. 
Hermann  Romwitz,  with  an  arm  round  his  son,  rose 
and  courteously  greeted  Peter.     His  wife  and  the 
younger  boy  remained  seated,  but  the  Kttle,  bhnd 
girl  came  forward,  feeling  her  way  along  the  wall 
until  she  could  reach  out  and  touch  her  father's  arm 
There  she  halted,  her  baby  lips  mutely  interrogating^ 
her  face  upturned  in  questioning  curiosity. 

Peter  caught  his  breath.  The  horror  of  the  child's 
affliction  appalled  him.  He  hesitated  to  speak  of 
it  lest  he  wound  her  feelings. 

Hermann  transferred  a  caressing  hand  from  Felix 
to^the  girl.     Then  turning  to  Peter,  he  said: 

''She  used  to  help  us  with  the  bastings,  like  that—" 
pointing  to  the  boy  who  sat  silently  at  work.  "But 
that's  all  over  now."    The  man  shook  his  head  sadly. 

"How  did  it  happen?"  asked  Peter. 
^^  "The  point  of  the  scissors  slipped,"  he  replied. 
"You  see,  we  sew  here  all  day,  and  sometimes  'till 
very  late  at  night.     We  have  to  work  all  the  time; 

79 


THE     O  STRICH 

even  then,  there  is  not  much  to  eat  and  we  are  never 
free  to  go  out. 

"It  was  nearly  dark,  but  we  hadn't  lighted  the 
lamp.  We  have  to  save  the  oil — "  he  spoke  apolo- 
getically. "Baby  was  bending  over  her  task,  hurry- 
ing to  strip  out  the  threads,  because  it  was  the  day 
when  we  return  some  of  the  finished  garments. 

"We  all  heard  her  cry  out.  I  jumped  up  from  my 
chair. 

" '  What  is  it,  Rosie?'  I  cried.  When  I  reached  her 
side,  I  was  horrified  at  what  I  saw.  The  sharp  steel 
had  slipped  and  terribly  wounded  her  right  eye.  It 
was  awful."  The  father  lowered  his  head  and  tenderly 
pressed  the  little  atom  of  sightless  humanity  to  his  side. 

"Oh,  sir,  if  you  had  ever  had  a  baby  girl  that  grew 
up  from  your  arms — and  then  had  to  see  her  suffer 
so!"  It  was  the  mother's  voice  sobbing  out  her  love 
for  her  child.  "We  did  not  dream  of  such  a  thing; 
if  we  had — "  she  spread  out  her  hands — "perhaps 
God  knows  best." 

"But,"  asked  Peter,  turning  to  Hermann,  "why  are 
both  eyes  destroyed?  I  thought  you  said  that  only 
one  had  been  injured." 

The  little  girl  had  been  listening,  attentively.  Sud- 
denly her  childish  voice  broke  the  silence: 

"The  hospit'l  doctors  made  Rosie  all  blind." 

"The  hospital  doctors?"  echoed  Peter.  "Why, 
you  poor,  little  mite,  what  had  they  to  do  with  it?" 

"I  don't  'member  just  how,  'cause  it  hurted  so  at 

80 


A     CRUSADE     THAT     FAILED 

first;  'n  then  they  tied  a  band  'round  bof  eyes.  When 
they  took  it  off,  it  was  all  dark,  'n  Rosie  heard  a 
doctor  man  whisper  'too  bad.' 

''Then  Mrs.  McCarthy  an'  Sergius  took  me  home 
'n  when  I  got  here  mama  put  her  arms  round  me 
an'  cried,  'n  that  day  she  didn't  work;  she  just  held 
me  in  her  arms,  'n  rocked  me;  'n  when  she  didn't 
cry,  she  sang  like  she  used  to,  when  I  was  a  little 
baby,  and  it  was  bedtime." 

The  little  voice  stopped,  breathless. 

The  mother  was  weeping  over  the  remembered 
bitterness  of  that  hour.  The  elder  Romwitz  stood 
looking  out  the  window,  with  shaking  shoulders. 
Peter's  own  eyes  were  blurred,  and  the  flower-like  face 
was  indistinct  to  him,  as  he  turned  and  glanced  down, 
in  response  to  the  cool,  little  hand  that  had  been 
slipped  confidently  into  his  own. 

"Will  I  be  like  this,  always?"  she  pleaded.  "When 
I  ask  mama,  she  says:  'pray  God,  not!'  'n  I  pray, 
and  pray.    Willi?" 

Peter  felt  a  lump  rising  in  his  throat. 

"Perhaps,  some  day,  you  will  see  again,"  he  said 
gently.     Then  turning  to  the  father: 

"I  don't  understand  it  yet,"  he  said. 

Hermann  scowled  as  he  spoke: 

"Those  young  doctors  in  the  hospitals — the  free 
ones,  where  we,  that  can't  pay,  have  to  go — make 
mistakes  with  us  poor  people.  They  experiment 
on  us.     They  forget  that  we  suffer  and  feel. 


THE    O  STRICH 

*'When  Rosie  was  hurt,  we  didn't  know  what  to 
do  at  first.  We  are  very  poor,  here.  Look — "  wav- 
ing his  hand  about  the  room — ''it  is  all  we  have. 
Even  this  costs  us  eight  dollars  a  month. 

''Mrs.  McCarthy,  who  lives  in  the  next  room,  heard 
Rosie  scream.  She  is  a  widow  and  poor  like  us; 
but  she  is  our  best  friend;  and  she  stood  by  us.  She 
told  us  of  the  hospital;  she  helped  us  to  get  our  little 
girl  taken  there;  and  she  went  to  see  Rosie  for  us.'* 

"Couldn't  you  go  sometimes?"    asked  Peter. 

The  father  shook  his  head.  "The  sewing  has  to 
be  ready  on  time  or  else  we  are  docked.  The  boss, 
who  gives  us  the  work,  takes  off  for  every  mis-stitch, 
and  he  deducts  more  if  we  are  behind.  Then  we 
have  to  go  hungry.  The  most  we  can  earn,  when 
we  both  work,  is  thirty-two  dollars  a  month.  After 
the  rent  is  paid,  there  is  hardly  enough  to  keep  us 
alive.  You  see,  the  work  passes  through  the  hands 
of  three  different  agents  and  dealers,  before  it  is 
delivered  to  the  firm  that  sells  it." 

As  he  ceased  speaking,  Hermann  was  seized  with  a 
fit  of  coughing. 

Peter  stood  reflecting,  in  silence. 

Hardly  a  stone's  throw  from  this  hovel  of  disease, 
the  learned  pastor  of  the  rich  and  influential  Central 
Church  each  Sunday  proclaimed  the  gospel  of  charity 
toward  mankind.  At  that  very  moment  the  edifice 
was  probably  echoing  with  the  exhortations  of  Chris- 
tian evangelists. 

82 


A     CRUSADE     THAT     FAILED 

"Do  you  ever  go  to  church?"   he  asked  Hermann. 

"  Church  ain't  for  us,"  answered  the  father.  ''What 
place  have  we  there,  with  all  the  swells  in  their  fine 
clothes!"  The  man's  voice  betrayed  a  bitterness 
of  spirit. 

"Do  you  never  wish  to  know  about  God?"  The 
inflection  of  Peter's  voice  was  intended  to  be  soothing. 

"We  have  only  time  for  this."  Hermann  held  up 
a  half-stitched  garment.  Then  another  fit  of  cough- 
ing seized  him.  Peter's  eyes  wandered  about  the 
room. 

The  floor,  uneven  and  worn,  was  littered  with  bits 
of  cloth,  threads  and  dirt.  Spiders  had  spun  cob- 
webs across  the  window-panes.  The  mattress,  from 
which  Rosie  had  risen,  was  apparently  the  sleeping 
convenience  for  four  members  of  the  family.  Felix's 
bed  consisted  of  a  bundle  of  rags  in  another  corner. 

Never  had  Peter  witnessed  such  squalor.  With 
no  fresh  air — for  the  window  was  kept  tightly  closed 
— dwelling  in  constant  gloom  in  the  daytime,  and 
provided  wath  only  one  small  lamp  at  night,  forced 
to  work  twelve  to  sixteen  hours  daily,  for  not  enough 
to  provide  even  a  semblance  of  comfort,  the  family 
led  an  existence  appalling  beyond  belief.  Besides 
there  was  the  cough.  He  noted  that  all  five  were 
affected.     It  made  him  sick  at  heart. 

"Of  course,  you  go  out  for  exercise?"  he  asked  the 
father. 

"I  have  been  out  only  once  in  two  weeks,"  answered 

S3 


THE     O  STRICH 

Hermann.  ''Felix  buys  our  food.  We  stay  here 
and  work.  There  is  no  other  way.  It  is  hard  for 
these,  and  for  her" —  indicating  the  three  children 
and  the  mother — "but  we  have  learned  to  take  things 
as  they  come.  It's  the  only  way."  The  submission 
and  passivity  betrayed  by  his  words  shocked  Peter. 
Had  the  man  lost  all  sense  of  initiative,  all  imagina- 
tion, all  hope,  to  speak  thus — and  then  Peter  started 
at  beholding  a  tear  glistening  in  Hermann's  eye. 
Instantly  the  visitor's  heart  warmed. 

'*I  am  going  to  help  you.  I  am  going  to  begin 
now,"  he  said.  ''To-morrow  I  am  going  to  take  you 
to  church — "  he  held  up  a  hand  as  the  father  made 
a  motion  of  protest — "we  will  all  go  together;  and 
be  sure  that  you  will  not  be  docked  for  loss  of  time. 
I  will  see  to  that."  Then  pressing  a  bill  into  the 
father's  hand,  he  bade  the  family  good-bye. 

At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  on  his  way  out,  Peter  found 
a  rotund  man,  with  twinkling  blue  eyes,  sitting  on 
the  doorstep  in  his  shirtsleeves  puffing  a  short- 
stemmed  pipe. 

"A.  pretty  bad  case  upstairs,"  said  Peter. 

"You  mean  them  Romwitzes,"  responded  the  man. 
"They  won't  last  long — none  of  'em." 

"Who  owns  the  place?" 

"This  'ere's  one  of  Jackson  Woods'  tenements, 
bad  luck  to  'im!" 

"Jake  Woods,  the  banker?"  queried  Peter,  in  sur- 
prise. 

84 


A     CRUSADE     THAT     FAILED 

The  smoker  removed  the  pipe  from  his  lips,  spat 
vehemently  on  the  ground,  and  snorted  with  wrath: 

''It's  such  as  him  that  shows  us  poorer  ones  just 
what  a  hypocritical  gang  some  of  them  big  fellers  can 
be.  Jake  Woods  is  responsible  for  them  five  upstairs, 
starving,  and  plague-smitten.  It's  enough  to  make  a 
decent  man  glad  of  his  poverty,  so  long  as  it  sets 
him  apart  from  Jake  Woods'  class." 

"But  surely,  he  can't  know  about  them!" 

''Don't  he,  though!"  snorted  the  other  in  scorn. 
"Just  let  'em  get  behind,  rent  day,  and  see!  It's 
pay  in  advance,  or  get  out,  every  time,  with  Woods. 

"See  what  he  done  to  th'  widow  MacLaurin,  with 
three  kiddies,  not  countin'  a  baby  two  months  old, 
and  her  husband  dead  in  an  explosion  m  the  foundry, 
only  a  week!" 

Peter  was  listening,  attentively. 

"Pat  MacLaurin  lived  here  in  three  rooms,  goin' 
on  six  year.  Woods  give  her  a  week  to  get  her  things 
and  her  three  babies  out  o'  the  house.  When  she 
finally  found  another  place  for  the  childer  and  was 
lyin'  there  sick,  from  cryin'  over  Pat  and  from  havin' 
to  move  so  sudden,  the  villain  Woods  followed  her 
up,  and  had  the  agent  hound  her  for  the  week's 
rent  she  hadn't  paid." 

As  Peter  turned  to  depart,  he  felt  a  disgust  as  deep 
as  the  other  man's. 

The  next  day  he  led  the  Httle  blind  girl  to  church, 
with   the   father,    mother   and   two   sons   following 


THE     OSTRICH 

behind.  It  was  a  monster  mass  meeting  at  which 
the  speaker  chose  for  his  text: 

*' Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness,  for  they  shall  be  filled." 

Probably  none  among  the  thousands  in  that  high- 
arched  edifice  listened  with  closer  attention  than  did 
Hermann  and  Rachael  Romwitz.  Neither  father, 
mother,  nor  children  had  heard  anything  like  the  soft 
refrain  of  the  anthems  which  filled  the  great  recesses 
of  the  nave  as  the  choir  rose  and  sang.  After  the 
music,  the  preacher's  words  held  the  parents  spell- 
bound. 

"Ye  who  strive  after  the  great  things  of  this  world 
and  ye  who  seek  the  high  places  and  power  over 
your  fellow-beings,  study  the  meek  and  lowly  living 
in  darkness  and  desolation  about  you!  These  are 
they  who  set  before  us  examples  of  patience  and  cour- 
age, such  as  the  spirit  of  Christ  has  taught." 

Such  utterances  at  times  caused  the  tears  to  course 
down  the  mother's  face.  Not  infrequently  the  man, 
too,  gave  way  to  quiet  sobbing.  They  were  lifted  up. 
This  was  a  wonderful  episode  in  their  barren  lives. 

The  same  afternoon  Dr.  Randall,  a  noted  physician 
whom  Peter  had  summoned,  called  at  the  little  tene- 
m.ent  room  and  examined  the  different  members  of 
the  family. 

Tuberculosis  as  a  result  of  lack  of  air  and  sunshine, 
poor  quarters,  underfed  bodies,  and  overwork,  was 
his  verdict  upon  each,  from  the  father  down  to  Uttle 

86 


A     CRUSADE     THAT    FAILED 

blind  Rosie.  Though  this  was  what  Peter  had  antici- 
pated, the  finding,  coming  from  the  physician's  lips 
shocked  hrni  anew,  and  he  set  about  having  the  five 
moved  at  once  to  a  small  farm  in  the  country,  where 
the  disease  might  at  least  be  mitigated  by  more 
cheerful  surroundings. 

Meantime,  six  consecutive  weeks  of  appeal  from  all 
the  pulpits  had  wrought  a  religious  crisis,   during 
which   fifteen   thousand   conversions   had   occurred 
Two  hundred  thousand  dollars  had  been  spent. 

The  final  services,  held  throughout  the  city  at  noon 
of  election  day,  in  size  of  attendance  proved  a  fitting 
dimax  to  the  crusade.  Never  had  such  a  seeming 
religious  fervor  been  roused  in  a  great  city.  Local 
option  was  believed  to  be  an  assured  fact.  The 
reform  movement,  by  means  of  the  ballot,  was  con- 
fidently expected  to  overwhehn  all  the  pernicious 
political  influences. 

On  the  evening  of  the  election  day  a  group  of  the 
leading  evangelical  and  temperance  workers  gathered 
in  one  of  the  parlors  of  the  hotel  where  Peter  was 
stoppmg.  The  latter  had  been  invited  to  attend  this 
watch  meeting,  and  as  he  entered  the  room,  a  Httle 
late  in  the  evening,  he  was  astonished  to  learn  that 
the  outcome  of  the  day's  voting  was  still  in  doubt. 
The  telephone  disclosed  the  fact  that,  instead  of  the 
expected  heavy  balloting,  the  vote  was  unusually 
light  in  nearly  every  ward. 

It  seemed  incredible.     Peter,  with  the  rest,  was 


THE     OSTRICH 

unable  to  understand.  Then,  a  little  after  midnight, 
the  final  returns  came: 

With  eight3/'-five  thousand  church-goers  in  the  city, 
only  twelve  thousand  ballots  had  been  cast.  Local 
option  was  defeated.  The  old  line  rule  of  politics 
had  again  proven  triumphant. 

As  the  significance  of  the  news  spread,  a  silence, 
pregnant  with  the  bitterest  disappointment,  fell 
upon  the  handful  of  men  gathered  in  that  hotel  room 
with  its  high-studded,  ornate  ceilings,  its  thick 
red-velvet  carpet,  and  stuffy  upholstered  chairs. 

This,  then,  was  the  end,  the  shattering  of  hope 
after  six  weeks  of  constant  exhortation  and  the 
winning  of  thousands  to  repentance. 

A  host  of  perplexing  questions  suddenly  invaded 
Peter's  mind.  Since  joining  the  cause,  he  had  noticed 
many  curious  and  disturbing  inconsistencies. 

He  knew  of  one  contractor  and  builder,  a  generous 
giver  towards  the  crusade,  who  built  houses  by  the 
row,  filled  them  with  persons  called  "flitters"  who 
paid  no  rent,  but  who  were  kept  as  tenants  to  deceive 
prospective  purchasers  into  the  belief  that  by  buying 
they  would  gain  large  interest-bearing  investments. 
As  soon  as  the  houses  were  thus  disposed  of,  the 
''flitters"  were  placed  in  another,  newly  built  row 
of  houses,  and  so  on. 

A  second  such  instance  was  that  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Borert  who  refused  to  sign  a  petition  necessary  to 
secure  a  candidate  on  the  prohibition  ticket  in  his 


A     CRUSADE     THAT     FAILED 

ward,  his  excuse  being  that  he  would  have  to  sup- 
port that  ticket;  and  he  meant  to  vote  the  straight 
Republican  ticket  at  the  primaries.  Still,  as  Peter 
knew,  Dr.  Borert  prayed  publicly  for  the  temper- 
ance movement. 

"Dr.  Northup,  how  do  you  account  for  such  signal 
failure  after  such  earnest  effort?"  It  was  Peter's 
voice  seeking  the  why  of  the  perplexities  besetting 
his  mind. 

"It  is  His  will,"  responded  the  great  evangehst. 

''But  my  reason  tells  me  that  some  fundamental 
truth    has    been    overlooked."     Everyone    present 
turned  at  the  words.     ''Is  there  not  an  inconsistency 
between  our  preaching  and  what  we  practise  in  daily 
life,   that  leaves  others  unconvinced,   even   though 
they  have  been  emotionally  wrought  up  to  the  point 
of  tears?    Has  not  this  attempt  to  rouse  all  the  best 
in  a  million  people's  hearts  failed,  because  religion, 
as  it  is  now  practised,   fails?    Is  it  not   tangible, 
actual,  every-day  help;    sympathy  in  the  form  of  a 
hand-clasp;   and  wilHngness  to  share  pain,  as  well  as 
joy,  with  others,  that  best  unlocks  the  human  heart?  " 
"  Amen  to  that ! "  exclaimed  Dr.  Northup.     ' '  'Love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself,'  is  the  shibboleth  destined  to 
lead  all  men  in  years  to  come." 

The  words  brought  again  to  Peter's  mind  the 
memory  of  those  broken  lives  of  the  Third  Street  tene- 
ment. The  thought  of  their  miseries  had  of  late  often 
caused  him  to  grow  sick  at  heart.     Why  were  those 

89 


THE     OSTRICH 

human  beings  left  submerged  in  such  abject  poverty; 
the  father  not  past  middle  Hfe,  and  yet  seared  with 
age;  the  silent  mother,  hour  after  hour,  straining  her 
eyes  in  the  gloom,  to  help  eke  out  the  most  meagre 
of  pittances;  the  children,  pitifully  wan,  and  pre- 
maturely old;  one  sightless,  and  all,  from  the  oldest 
to  the  pinched-cheeked,  brave  Felix,  victims  of  the 
great  white  plague?     How  it  all  wrung  his  soul! 

Why  did  those  who  strove  for  reform,  and  for  the 
upbuilding  of  good,  overlook  such  as  these?  It 
seemed  to  him  as  though  there  was  a  wide  deviation 
from  the  gospel  of  the  square  deal  when  leaders  and 
teachers,  in  their  zeal  to  hold  up  the  rewards  of  a  life 
to  come,  forgot  such  derelicts,  and  left  them  to  starve 
in  squalor  and  pain. 

Was  it  because  these  wretched  ones  were  the 
toilers,  not  to  be  feared  like  those  who  occasioned 
such  cheap  labor  and  misery  in  order  to  grow  richer 
themselves?  It  was  the  milHonaire's  purse  that  paid 
the  preacher's  salary — that  made  and  immade  the 
holders  of  high  places  in  the  churches. 

Such  thoughts  added  to  his  quandary.  He  knew 
that  he  must  go  deeper  if  he  would  discover  the  true 
gospel  of  humanity.  The  past  six  weeks  had  proven 
that  it  was  not  based  upon  mere  appeals  to  the 
human  emotions. 


90 


VII 

MAX  MUCKRAKES 

The  next  morning  while  still  beset  by  the  many 
queries  born  of  the  change  from  tolerance  to  a  definite 
and  concrete  interest  in  vital  questions,  Peter's 
thoughts  were  interrupted  by  a  sudden  and  furious 
pounding  at  his  door,  and  in  response  to  his  cheerful 
"  Come  in,"  his  old  friend,  Max,  burst  in  upon  him. 

Following  their  mutual  greetings,  ''The  Muck- 
raker's"  first  words  plainly  indicated  his  perplexity 
at  Peter's  recent  movements: 

''What  new  hobby  has  caught  you,  Stuyvie?  It 
must  be  something  serious  to  detain  you  here  for  six 
weeks,  when  New  York  is  gayer  than  ever  in  its 
frantic  endeavor  to  recover  from  the  panic  depres- 
sion. Alicia  and  the  Fraulein  will  have  it  that  you 
are  a  man  with  a  mission  and  at  last  have  set  out  to 
make  your  mark  in  the  world.  But  I'm  still  loyal  to 
you,  Stuyvie.     I  won't  believe  a  word  of  it." 

"What  brings  you  here?"  asked  Peter,  ignoring 
the  other's  sarcasm. 

"Fraulein  Newman  opens  at  the  'Broad'  to-mor- 
row for  two  weeks.  Two  thousand  seats  have  already 
been  sold  in  advance." 

91 


THE    OSTRICH 

"Ah,  so  She's  coming!"  Peter  spoke  aloud,  mo- 
mentarily forgetting  the  other's  presence.  Max's 
eyebrows  lifted  with  the  surprise  of  sudden  enlighten- 
ment: 

^'But  the  Fraulein  will  be  far  too  busy  to  receive 
callers,"  he  said,  a  little  maliciously.  If  Peter  noticed 
the  grin  on  his  friend's  face,  he  gave  no  indication  of 
having  done  so. 

"I've  found  out  that  I  have  a  mission.  Max."  As 
"The  Muckraker"  opened  his  lips  to  interrupt, 
Peter  lifted  a  detaining  hand,  and  went  on:  "I'm 
just  beginning  to  get  a  new  view  of  things,  the  view  of 
the  man  who  hasn't  a  chance,  and  the  more  I  learn, 
the  greater  incentive  I  gain  to  know  more.  The  past 
few  weeks  have  taught  me  much — I'll  tell  you  how 
much!"  and  he  launched  into  a  recital  of  the  events 
that  had  terminated  with  the  ignominious  failure  of  the 
evangelical  crusade.  In  a  voice  trembling  with  feel- 
ing, he  detailed  the  horrors  of  the  tenement  room  with 
its  blind  baby  and  diseased  victims  of  the  sweat- 
shop system. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  story  Max  had  lighted  a 
cigarette  and  found  a  seat  in  one  of  the  great  chairs 
of  the  apartment.  Thus  comfortably  cushioned,  he 
listened  with  narrowing  eyelids  as  the  story  progressed. 

"So  you  are  really  discovering  the  iniquities  of  our 
misguided  system,"  he  commented  when  Peter  had 
finished.  "There  is  only  one  way  to  do  that — by 
studying  conditions  at  first  hand.     Book  knowledge 

92 


MAX    MUCKRAKES 

fails  here.  Many  a  callous-conscienced  capitalist 
would  reconstruct  his  attitude  toward  the  weak,  if 
he  were  forced  to  look  upon  some  of  the  appalling 
spectacles  of  the  slums  of  New  York's  East  Side. 

"Every  large  city  in  this  country  has  its  quota  of 
'Romwitz'  families.  It  would  seem  more  tolerable 
if  such  an  army  of  innocent  and  unoffending  ones 
didn't  have  to  stand  the  brunt  of  it.  After  years  of 
legislative  effort  toward  reform,  a  round  two  million 
is  a  conservative  estimate  of  the  number  of  children 
under  fourteen  who  are  underfed.  Only  recently, 
among  forty  thousand  children  examined  in  four 
of  the  largest  cities  in  the  country,  it  was  found  that 
over  thirty-six  per  cent,  went  to  school  in  the  morning 
either  without  their  breakfast  or  with  only  a  bread 
crust  and  a  cup  of  tea  or  coffee. 

"What's  the  cause  of  all  this,  you  ask?  Society 
is  a  hollow  lie — a  travesty  upon  the  teachings  of  Chris- 
tianity and  the  Golden  Rule. 

"I  don't  wonder  that  it  cut  you  up  to  see  how  poor 
children  suffer  in  their  homes.  Sometimes  I  think 
that  the  child  problem  will  ultimately  prove  the 
crucial  turning-point  for  a  new  order  of  things.  It 
presents  the  most  heart-rending  side  of  poverty. 

"Recently  the  oyster  packing  trust  in  Florida,  em- 
ploying little  tots  as  young  as  six  or  seven — think 
of  it,  almost  babies — put  forward  the  plea  that 
whatever  evil  might  result  from  the  trust's  employ- 
ment of  children  harmed  only  little  foreigners  from 

93 


THE     OSTRICH 

Baltimore,  and  did  not  injure  the  children  of  Florida. 
And  with  its  millions  and  paid  lobbyists,  the  trust 
won  out  on  such  a  plea  as  that — as  though  it  made 
a  difference  where  the  defenceless  little  kids  came 
from. 

^'It  seems  unbelievable,  until  you  begin  to  investi- 
gate for  yourself,  that  in  some  of  the  cleanest  states, 
where  the  reform  workers  have  really  bettered  con- 
ditions, the  child  still  gets  such  little  protection. 

''In  Massachusetts,  for  instance,  the  hours  for  four- 
teen-year-old children  have  been  lessened  only  four  a 
week  in  forty-one  years,  and  the  little  girl  or  boy  on 
his  fourteenth  birthday,  or  as  soon  as  he  can  make 
people  believe  he  is  fourteen,  becomes  a  day  laborer 
in  a  mill  for  ten  and  a  quarter  hours  a  day — and  he 
gets  fifty  cents  a  day  to  start,  and  perhaps  a  dollar 
and  fifty  cents  a  day  when  he  has  reached  thirty. 

*' Think  of  it,  Stuyvie,  while  the  state  refused  an 
eight-hour  day  to  those  little  kidlets,  her  legislature 
granted  a  forty-eight-hour  week  for  men  employed 
on  public  works.  What  more  iniquitous  example  of 
the  pernicious,  almost  fiendish  power  of  the  moneyed 
men  can  one  ask?  For  it  was  the  wealth  of  the 
textile  magnate  that  fought  against,  and  succeeded 
in  defeating,  an  eight-hour  law  for  children  in 
Massachusetts. 

''The  same  thing,  to  a  worse  degree,  goes  on  in  the 
South.  In  two  of  the  biggest  cotton  manufacturing 
states    there,    the    manufacturers    recently   killed   a 

94 


MAX     MUCKRAKES 

fourteen-year  age-limit  bill.  An  army  of  twelve-year- 
old  children  work  in  the  Southern  cotton  mills  sixty 
hours  a  week.  In  the  past  year  or  so  laws  for  the 
betterment  of  working  children  have  been  defeated 
in  nearly  a  dozen  states;  and  these  laws  aimed  merely 
at  briefer  work  hours  and  a  higher  age  limit.  Such 
things  make  a  man  sick  at  heart.  They  reflect  dis- 
grace upon  society  as  a  whole,  and  upon  each  sepa- 
rate person  that  belongs  to  it. 

'^I  can  cite  a  hundred  examples  that  have  come 
under  my  personal  observation  where  the  lives  of 
little  boys  and  little  girls  are  being  utterly  blighted 
because  we  don't  protect  them. 

"In  Pennsylvania,  after  a  boy  is  sixteen,  they  let 
him  go  down  inside  the  mines  and  work — that's  the 
law — but  everyone  who  knows  the  real  conditions 
realizes  that  hundreds  of  children  younger  than  that 
are  employed  daily  in  the  mines.  And  mind  you, 
I'm  considering  the  industries  for  children  that  have 
had  the  most  careful  attention.  There  are  scores  of 
other  occupations  which  employ  the  child,  where  su- 
pervision by  law  is  by  no  means  so  carefully  looked 
out  for.  Some  occupations  have  no  supervision  at 
all.  Tens  of  thousands  of  boys  and  girls  in  the 
fruit,  vegetable  and  sea-food  canning  industries, 
throughout  the  country,  are  practically  exempt,  as 
yet,  from  child  labor  restrictions.  In  many  states, 
young  boys  who  have  not  begun  to  get  their  growth, 
work  in  the  coal  mines  and  quarries.     Hundreds  of 

95 


THE     O  STRICH 

little  ones  are  being  sacrificed  in  vaudeville  and  mov- 
ing picture  shows.  The  eight-hour-a-day  standard, 
now  commonly  held  to  be  fair  for  adult  men,  has 
been  secured  for  children  in  only  ten  states. 

"And  then  there's  the  host  of  little  ones,  like  those 
you  found,  shut  up  in  sweat-shops  where  the  air  is 
often  sickeningly  foul,  and  those  in  the  department 
stores,  too." 

''I've  often  thought  of  the  messenger  boy,"  put 
in  Peter,  ''and  wondered  what  protection  he  gets — 
running  up  to  the  club  at  all  hours  of  the  night  and 
chasing  about  the  streets  with  messages  from  fellows 
too  intoxicated  to  get  home  to  their  wives  and  on, 
the  Lord  knows,  what  other  sorts  of  errands." 

"The  messenger  boy  is  an  excellent  example  of  the 
child  whose  career  is  ruined  early  by  contact  with 
evil  conditions.  He  goes  into  gambling  halls,  houses 
of  ill-repute  and  shameless  dens  of  all  kinds,"  replied 
Max.  "One  little  fellow  who  was  cross-examined  re- 
cently, said: 

" '  It's  a  lot  of  fun  to  be  out  on  the  street  and  around 
meeting  people  and  seeing  places,  so  we  like  the  job. 
Some  messengers  are  never  satisfied  to  leave  the 
tenderloin  after  they  have  been  there  awhile!' 

"Thousands  of  these  little  youngsters,  bright, 
clear-headed  and  intelligent  are  being  ruined  annually 
by  the  demoralization  of  their  vocation  and  its  lack 
of  supervision  by  law. 

"Then  there's  the  case  of  the  defenceless  girl  who 

96 


MAX    MUCKRAKES 

is  lured  away.  The  things  I've  seen  in  New  York 
and  the  things  I  know  of  through  others  are  enough 
to  make  a  decent  man  revolt.  Too  many  people 
forget  the  horror  of  the  white  slave's  degradation 
and  the  tortures  and  misery  to  which  poverty  has 
brought  her." 

*'Are  we  going  to  lay  that  up  against  society  or 
against  the  individual?"  asked  Peter. 

Max  flung  up  one  hand  impatiently: 

"It's  up  to  all  of  us,  Peter.  Only  in  a  society 
where  the  terrors  of  starvation  are  bred  by  poverty 
can  such  evils  flourish.  If  you  cure  poverty,  you 
cure  this  evil. 

*^I  wonder  if  you've  ever  heard  how  girls,  little 
things  from  fifteen  up,  are  bought  and  sold  for  prices, 
from  sixty  dollars  to  hundreds  of  dollars  a  head. 
Estimates  made  in  New  York  show  that  the  number 
of  women  white  slaves  imported,  and  those  bringing 
them  in,  run  well  into  the  thousands  each  year.  In 
one  case  it  was  found  that  over  a  thousand  dollars 
was  paid  for  an  exceptionally  attractive  girl.  Hun- 
dreds of  innocent  girls  in  every  large  city  and  in 
scores  of  the  smaller  ones,  according  to  facts  recently 
gathered,  are  annually  inveigled  into  lives  of  degra- 
dation through  a  great  system  of  traffic  which  spreads 
from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  and  which, 
through  the  insidiousness  of  its  methods,  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  wholly  ferret  out.  In  fact,  so  highly 
has  the  white  slave  traffic  been  developed  that  each 

97 


THE     O  STRICH 

year  it  grows  more  difficult  to  stop  it.  Take  up  your 
paper  any  day  and  you  will  read  of  the  distraction 
of  a  father  or  a  mother  over  the  disappearance  of 
a  daughter." 

"I've  often  wondered  what  became  of  such  girls," 
said  Peter,  thoughtfully. 

"In  scores — yes,  in  hundreds  of  instances,  the  girls 
become  enrolled  in  that  army  of  women  who  lead 
lives  of  shame,  too  often  not  from  personal  choice 
but  because  they  are  lured  away. 

"These  are  only  a  few  of  the  instances  of  the  mal- 
constructed  system  under  which  we  live,  Stu3rvie." 

"I  begin  to  see  that  it's  all  wrong,  Max — that 
things  as  they  are,  and  things  as  they  ought  to  be, 
are  exceedingly  far  apart,"  said  Peter,  laying  aside 
his  cigar  and  leaning  forward  earnestly: 

"But  how  are  we  going  to  change  it?  It's  hard  to 
teach  men  unselfishness." 

"The  day  of  a  common  brotherhood  is  coming," 
said  Max.  "A  movement  is  already  on  foot  to  bring 
it  about.  It  has  kept  me  interested  in  my  fellow- 
men  ever  since  college  days.  It  is  a  movement  that 
has  been  steadily  gaining  ground  in  spite  of  the 
mighty  warfare  against  it  directed  by  himdreds  of 
powerful  and  rich  men.  It  is  a  movement  the  prin- 
ciples of  which  contain  more  of  the  essence  of  free- 
dom, justice  and  brotherly  friendship  among  men, 
than  any  ever  proposed.  Under  it  capitalism  be- 
comes a  thing  of  the  past  and  3^ou,  Stuyvie,  and  I, 

98 


MAX     MUCKRAKES 

and  our  brothers,  meaning  every  human  being  in 
society,  will  possess  equal  rights — a  condition  wholly 
non-existent  to-day.  Then  there  can  be  no  more 
white  slave  traffic,  no  more  wasted  lives  of  little 
boys  and  girls.  Drunkenness,  insanity,  suicide,  the 
bread  line  and  all  such  curses  of  poverty  will  be 
evils  of  the  past." 

"Whatever  the  remedy.  Max,  its  foundation  must 
be  truth,  not  something  in  the  guise  of  truth.  It 
must  be  a  square  deal  alike  for  all  men,"  said  Peter. 
Then  he  continued: 

"I  mean  to  search  until  I  have  found  and  can  apply 
a  remedy  that  does  all  that." 

Springing  from  his  chair  and  crossing  the  room. 
Max  placed  his  hands  on  Peter's  shoulders. 

*'Upon  my  word,  Stuyvie,  I  believe  you're  on  the 
right  track  now!"  he  exclaimed.  ''You  and  I  may 
agree  after  all  on  the  great  humanizing  principles  of 
life.     I  never  before  thought  we  could. 

"A  new  era  is  coming.  It  is  going  to  mean  a  revolu- 
tion. This  old  order  is  going  out  just  as  feudalism 
and  witchcraft  have  passed.  It  will  be  a  revolution 
against  injustice.  Perhaps  it  may  mean  bloodshed, 
the  sacrifice  of  thousands  of  lives,  but  whatever  the 
process,  out  of  the  ashes  of  the  old  will  rise,  newly 
robed,  a  society  of  real  brothers." 

*'It  will  not  be  a  revolution  of  blood  but  one  of 
love,"  interposed  Peter.  ''The  very  idealism  of  its 
purpose  is  opposed  to  strife  and  bloodshed." 

99 


THE     OSTRICH 

"You  may  be  right.  I  hope  so,"  Max  said.  Then 
a  twinkle  crept  into  his  eyes  as  he  asked; 

''Will  you  be  here,  to-morrow,  when  Fraulein  New- 
man comes?" 

Oblivious  of  any  humor  behind  the  query,  Peter, 
who  had  risen,  began  to  frown  and  run  his  fingers 
through  his  hair,  as  if  Max's  simple  question  had 
raised  up  a  problem  of  tremendous  importance. 
There  ensued  a  moment  of  silence  as  though  an  in- 
ward struggle  were  going  on.     Then  he  said: 

''No,  I  must  go  on.  Delay  would  be  inexcusable. 
I  shall  leave  for  the  West,  to-day." 


lOO 


VIII 
CLARISSA 

''You're  elected,"  flung  out  Ted  Morley  to  the 
red-cheeked,  square-jawed  man  in  the  gray,  suede 
gloves  and  jaunty,  pearl-gray  hat  who,  after  paying 
the  driver  of  an  open  landau  Kberally  from  a  gen- 
erous roll  of  bills,  swung  up  the  Minster  Abbe  Hotel 
steps,  and  took  a  seat  beside  Peter  Rutledge  and  his 
jeering  friend. 

"What  d'ye  mean  by  elected?"  drawled  Weston 
Harwood,  biting  off  the  end  of  a  long  and  particularly 
black  stogie,  and  fixing  an  eagle  eye  upon  Morley, 
''is  it  some  kind  of  a  new  game  or  just — " 

*'A  game!  That's  it,  exactly,  Harwood!  You've 
struck  it,  first  time.  Sometimes  I'm  half  inclined  to 
think  that  you  possess  almost  human  perspicacity. 
It's  a  game  of  tag,  and  you're  it,  me  boy.  That 
fascinating  drawl  oi  yours,  the  way  you  wear  those 
nifty  gloves  and  pearl  spats  has,  for  sure,  settled 
your  hash  with  the  widow.  Oh,  she's  got  you  going. 
Clarissa  is  out  for  the  dough — in  large  red  letters — 
and  she  has  you  blazed  as  the  real  trail  to  safety 
deposit  vaults  with  coupons  and  silver  plate.  She'll 
have  your  name  on  her  front  door  yet  and — " 

lOI 


THE    OSTRICH 

"Aw,  cut  that!  You're  jealous  because  I'm  beat- 
ing you  to  her — or  is  it  Kady  MacDown  that's 
punctured  your  heart?" 

Teddy  Morley  leaned  forward  and  fixed  the  other 
with  a  withering  glance: 

''Keep  her  name  out  of  this  other  one's  class. 
Kady  is  a  thoroughbred,  don't  forget  that,  son,  a 
blue-stocking,  as  true,  and  square,  and  white  as 
any  that  ever  ran  wild  out  in  this  section.  Compari- 
sons aren't  in  my  line,  West,  but  Clarissa  wdth  that 
son  of  hers  can't  weigh  in  with  me.  I  might  stand 
her — yes,  if  it  weren't  for  that  kill-joy  human  thing 
she  calls  Mylie.  He's  well  nicknamed  'The  Brute.' 
And  the  way  she  coddles  him!  Mylie — the  name's 
enough  to  choke  you,  when  it's  tacked  to  that  young 
baboon,  with  his  ugly  habit  of  snarling  and  growling 
every  time  one  happens  to  find  him  loafing  round  the 
verandas.  Study  'The  Brute,'  my  boy,  and  you'll 
be  a  Kttle  less  prodigal  with  hothouse  flowers  and 
carriage  drives  for  Clarissa." 

"You  make  me  tired,  Morley,  with  your  cata- 
loguing and  classifying.  Who  gave  you  a  monopoly 
in  female  botany,  hereabouts?  I  know  a  few  things 
about  picking   'em  apart,  myself.     You — " 

"Hear,  hear!  What  does  it  all  mean?  Shall  I 
call  the  police,  or  run  you  both  in,  myself?"  The 
intruder,  a  pink-and- white-skinned,  wholesome-look- 
ing girl,  with  square  shoulders,  hair  brushed  back 
from  a  high  forehead,  wide-set,  but  spectacled,  gray 

I02 


CLARISSA 

eyes,  and  a  full,  red-lipped  mouth  upon  which  there 
had  gathered  a  whimsical  smile,  made  her  debut  from 
the  open  doorway.  She  v/as  attired  in  a  blue  sailor 
waist  and  skirt,  the  former  with  a  wide  collar  in  the 
corners  of  which  were  embroidered  red  and  white 
anchors,  and  a  pair  of  low-cut,  tan,  summer  shoes 
above  which  there  peeped  the  slimmest  and  most  be- 
witching of  ankles  in  tan  stockings. 

Barely  had  she  spoken  ere  the  three  men,  hats  in 
their  hands,  were  upon  their  feet,  each  deferentially 
offering  her  his  seat. 

^'They  weren't  quarrelling  over  you,  Kady,"  ex- 
claimed Peter. 

"I'll  wager  it  concerns  a  woman."  She  kept  them 
all  standing,  while  she  searched  the  eyes  of  the  two 
disputants.  "Men  of  your  sort,  good  men,  shouldn't 
raise  ructions  among  themselves  over  good  women. 
It  isn't  chivalrous.  All  we  ask  is  courtesy — the  kind 
you're  showing  me,  this  minute — a  little  praise, 
some  petting,  and  all  your  respect." 

"How  about — love?"  asked  Harwood,  a  little 
banteringly. 

Kady  MacDown  shook  a  finger  at  the  questioner: 

"I'll  nae  tell  ye  o'  love,  for  'tis  too  bonnie  a  thing  to 
analyze.  But  wi'out  the  rest  I've  told  ye  o',  'tis  nae 
good,"  she  proclaimed,  lapsing  prettily  into  the 
canny  tongue  of  her  native  heath,  for  the  moment. 

She  made  an  exquisite  picture  standing  there  with 
her  lips  apart,  her  chin  tilted,  the  soft,  little  tendrils 

10^ 


THE     OSTRICH 

of  her  hair  curling  round  her  ears.  Admiration, 
frank  and  sincere,  shone  in  the  eyes  of  the  three 
men. 

'^Kady,  ye  bonnie,  little  innocent,  'pon  my  word, 
I  dinna  believe  ye  ken  what  love  means,  after  aw," 
mimicked  Harwood. 

The  girl  nodded  gayly  and  had  opened  her  lips  to 
fling  back  a  retort,  when  a  second  woman  emerged 
from  the  doorway,  just  in  time  to  witness  this  tableau. 

In  a  pale  green  gown  of  sheeny  fabric,  with  the 
skirt  extremely  tight-fitting  at  the  hips,  and  scant 
about  the  ankles,  Clarissa  Wedgewood,  satirically 
referred  to  by  the  hotel  guests  as  *'The  Widow," 
proved  a  decided  contrast  to  the  other  woman. 

*'Ah,  here  you  are,  Weston!  How  love-l-y  it  was 
of  you,  d-e-a-r,  to  wait  so  patiently  until  I  had  changed 
for  our  walk,"  she  exclaimed,  sweeping  across  the 
veranda  and  coyly  tucking  a  lean,  long-fingered  hand 
beneath  Harwood's  arm.  **You  naughty  men  are 
so  dreadfully  apt  to  neglect  us  poor  helpless  women." 

Peter,  Morley  and  Kady  exchanged  covert  grins 
while  Harwood  fumbled  uncomfortably  with  his 
watch -fob  and,  impelled  by  the  woman,  meekly 
allowed  himself  to  be  dragged  down  the  steps  and 
out  toward  the  esplanade  now  crowded  with  gay 
and  fashionable  pedestrians. 

Peter  Rutledge,  after  saying  farewell  to  Max,  had 
come  direct  from  the  East  to  Los  Angeles.  During 
the  fortnight  of  his  residence  at  this  rather  exclusive 

104 


CLARISSA 

hotel  he  had  not  only  become  fast  friends  with  Ward 
Hodges,  the  genial,  EngHsh  manager,  who  had  directed 
him  how  best  to  pursue  his  sociological  studies,  but 
he  had  also  formed  a  warm  attachment  for  Harwood, 
and  for  Morley,  the  proprietor's  son.  Teddy  was  just 
now  acting  in  a  sort  of  plenipotentiary  capacity 
for  Morley  senior  who,  though  a  church-goer  and 
a  loud-lunged  advocate  of  temperance  in  general, 
had,  to  Peter's  disgust,  proved  his  moral  delinquency 
by  selling  liquor,  sub  rosa,  for  the  benefit  of  his 
guests. 

Peter  had  begun  an  exhaustive  study  of  the  social 
and  industrial  conditions  in  the  West  and  he  meant 
to  prosecute  this  work  until  he  had  satisfied  himself 
thoroughly  regarding  the  different  phases  of  life 
there.  He  was  now  resting,  preparatory  to  contmuing 
his  journey,  and  the  farcical  drama  in  which  the  chief 
characters  were  Kady  MacDown  with  all  the  fresh- 
ness and  lovableness  of  youth,  the  sinuous  and 
voracious  Clarissa  recently  down  from  the  North 
where  husband  number  one  had  made  a  million  and 
then  obligingly  passed  on,  and  Harwood,  a  reputedly 
wealthy  young  man  from  the  East,  furnished  him  and 
many  other  guests  with  a  momentary  diversion. 

The  widow  was,  by  all  odds,  the  leading  lady; 
Harwood,  broad-shouldered  and  nonchalant,  the 
hero;  Kady,  the  ingenue.  Peter  had  dubbed  Morley 
the  chief  trouble-maker. 

Clarissa's  evident  purpose  to  match  her  dollars 

105 


THE     OSTRICH 

with  those  of  a  single,  stray  male  who  could  go  her 
one  better  in  the  matter  of  money  had  developed  a 
situation  in  which  the  social  philosopher  found 
elements  of  both  humor  and  pathos. 

Because  of  her  disregard  for  many  petty  conven- 
tionahties,  the  unchaperoned  Kady  MacDown  had 
incurred  the  distrust  of  many  of  the  women  guests. 
Yet,  wdthin  a  few  days  after  her  arrival,  she  had  come 
to  be  the  best  liked  by  the  younger  male  set  of  any 
of  her  sex  there,  because  of  her  ingenuousness  and 
frank,  companionable  manner.  Harwood  was  one 
of  her  adherents,  and  for  that  reason  Clarissa's  plan 
to  carry  him  off  was  supplemented  by  an  intense 
jealousy  of  Kady.  The  latter  did  not  seem  to  bear 
the  widow  any  ill-will  on  that  account.  A  good 
fellow,  and  willing  for  any  diversion  that  promised 
innocent  amusement,  she  held  no  grudges  against 
either  man  or  woman. 

That  did  not  serv^e  to  lessen  Harwood's  growing 
fondness.  Neither  did  it  serve  to  diminish  the 
widow's  hatred,  nor  her  conviction  that  she  must 
eUminate  Kady  MacDowTi  if  she  was  to  win  Har- 
wood. 

As  Kady,  Peter  and  Morley  sat  amusedly  watching 
this  strangely  assorted  pair  walking  away,  Clarissa 
was  secretly  revolving  a  plan,  wherein  by  a  final 
masterly  stroke  she  hoped  to  gain  for  good  the 
young  giant  beside  her. 

Two   days    later   Harwood    furnished    Peter   and 

1 06 


CLARISSA 

Morley  with  the  details  of  how  Clarissa  tried  to  carry 
out  that  plan. 

"Weston  dear,"  she  now  began,  casting  a  fetching 
and  coy  glance  at  her  companion,  "it  seems  to  me  as 
though  you  found  it  a  Httle  stupid  here,  sometimes. 
Is  that  so?    Are  you  tired — of — me?" 

"What  nonsense!"  exclaimed  Harwood.  "Noth- 
ing of  the  sort.  That  is — you  are — divine,  Mrs. 
Wedgewood."     She  ignored  the  extravagance. 

"But  I'm  almost  sure  I've  seen  you  looking  bored, 
more  than  once  of  late." 

"Oh,  no!"  protested  the  man. 

The  widow  uttered  a  sigh  as  loud  as  seemed  to 
her  practicable  under  the  circumstances.  Harwood 
glanced  down.  A  tear,  which  the  fair  enchantress 
had  somehow  managed  to  summon,  rolled  down  one 
cheek. 

"I  say  now,  what's  the  matter?" 

"Oh  dear!  Oh  dear!  if  you  aren't  bored,  I  am 
—dreadfully.  This  p-p-pl-lace  tires  me,  so-o-o. 
Wouldn't  it  be  sweet,  just  too  sweet  for  words,  if  we — 
that  is,  if  I  could  run  away  for  a  day  or  so,  you  know 
— up  to  'Frisco,  say?" 

"Why  don't  you  do  it,  then — and  stop  crying?" 

"I  would,  but  it's  so  aw-wf-ful  lonesome  travel- 
ling alone— I'm  not  c-c-rying."  She  began  to  snivel, 
audibly. 

"You  could  take  Mylie." 

For  the  fraction  of  an  instant,  a  steely  glimmer 

107 


THE    O  STRICH 

flashed  from  the  widow's  tear-ladened  eyes,  but  she 
only  said: 

"The  d-d-e-a-r  boy  can't  stand  riding  on  the 
t-t-r-a-i-n,  ever.  Since  he  was  a  b-a-b-y,  I've  had 
to  look  out  for  that.  Oh,  it's  too  bad.  I'm  so-o-oo 
lonely!  so  1-o-o-n-e-l-y ! "  The  tears  were  dripping 
from  her  cheeks  now.  Several  passers  turned  to  stare 
at  the  couple.     Harwood  began  to  feel  embarrassed. 

*'But  surely  there's  someone  who  would  run  over 
with  you — " 

"Dear,  dear  Weston,  I'm  so  neglected!  so-o 
alone!" 

"There,  there,"  comforted  Harwood,  awkwardly 
patting  her  hand,  himself  taken  in  for  the  moment: 

"I  might  go  over  with  you — if  you  wanted  me?" 

A  smile  broke  through  the  tears: 

"Oh,  could  you,  c-o-uld  you,  Weston!  I'd  be 
s-o-o  happy!"  Another  deep  sigh  ended  the  sen- 
tence. 

Thus  the  following  morning  Peter  and  a  number  of 
the  other  hotel  guests  were  much  amazed  to  behold 
W^eston  Harwood,  immaculately  groomed,  assist 
Clarissa  into  a  waiting  carriage  and  drive  away. 

After  the  pair  had  boarded  the  north-bound,  vesti- 
buled  flyer,  Harwood  devoted  himself  so  assiduously 
to  his  companion  that  Clarissa  beamed  a  benig- 
nant assent  when  he  pleaded  a  desire  to  seek  the 
smoker. 

Though  there  were  occasions  when  Harwood  waked 

io8 


CLARISSA 

up  and  gave  proof  that  he  possessed  dynamic  energy, 
his  ease-loving  nature  ordinarily  rebelled  at  making 
decisions  of  any  kind.  Rather  than  endure  Clarissa's 
tears  he  had  offered  to  accompany  her — which  was 
what  she  desired.  Once  embarked  on  the  journey 
he  endeavored  to  make  it  as  pleasurable  and  as  event- 
ful as  possible. 

Thus  when  he  was  accosted  by  a  loud-voiced  neigh- 
bor in  the  smoking-car,  who  introduced  himself  as 
^'Gunnel"  Drayton  of  ^'St.  Loo,  Mizoo,'^  Harwood 
made  room  for  the  other  beside  him  and  smilingly 
held  out  a  cigar. 

In  the  Colonel,  Harwood  recognized  the  man  whom 
one  of  his  fellow-members  at  a  New  York  club  had 
once  entertained.  The  "  Cunnel, "  as  he  remembered, 
had  the  name  of  being  a  gay  sport  and  was  con- 
sidered entertaining  because  of  his  many  eccentrici- 
ties. 

That  he  still  retained  the  qualities  attributed  to  him 
previously  was  evidenced  in  the  glow  of  joy  that 
lighted  his  face  when  he  learned  of  Mrs.  Wedgewood's 
presence  on  the  train.  Instantly  he  was  scurr^dng 
about  for  a  porter  and  five  minutes  later  he  an- 
nounced to  Harwood  that  he  had  arranged  for  a 
private  dinner  for  four. 

Colonel  Drayton  introduced  a  youngish  woman, 
whom  he  escorted  from  a  rear  vestibule,  as  Miss  Sils. 

It  was  plain  that  Mrs.  Wedgewood,  at  first,  looked 
with  disfavor  upon  Miss  Sils,  fearing  that  Harwood 

109 


THE     OSTRICH 

might  be  taken  with  this  new  face,  but  a  little  later 
after  all  had  been  seated  at  dinner,  and  the  second 
bottle  of  ^^Ruinat"  had  been  ordered  and  opened  by 
the  Colonel,  Clarissa's  exuberance  of  spirits  over- 
topped all  such  petty  trivialities  as  jealousy,  and 
after  the  next  succeeding  bottle,  during  the  con- 
siunption  of  which  the  Colonel  proposed  that  all 
stop  off  at  Milo  Ris,  a  small  watering  place,  and 
see  the  sights,  Mrs.  Wedgewood's  enthusiasm  ex- 
ceeded that  of  the  other  two  in  seconding  the 
suggestion. 

Then  ensued  the  climax  of  this  little  adventure 
which  Harwood,  upon  his  return,  painted  with  many 
chuckles: 

**It  was,  for  fair,  the  funniest  party  that  ever  broke 
into  the  atmosphere  of  Milo  Ris,"  he  said  with  a 
grin,  after  he  had  related  the  meeting  with  the  Colo- 
nel. "It  would  have  been  disgusting,  if  it  hadn't 
been  so  ridiculous. 

''The  Tunnel'  was  plain  soused.  Whatever  pro- 
ject he  had  had  in  mind  when  he  introduced  himself 
to  me  on  the  train  was  completely  drowned  out. 
Miss  Mattie  Sils— the  Colonel  called  her  'Meg'  for 
short — a  little  thing  in  a  green  hat,  brown  skirt  and 
yellow  shoes,  clung  onto  his  arm,  admonishing  him 
whenever  he  tried  to  extinguish  the  noise  of  the 
street  cars  with  his  eloquence. 

"The  widow's  hat  had  dropped  down  onto  one 
ear  and  she  kept  bursting  out  into  snatches  of  song 

no 


CLARISSA 

and  poetry.  She  held  the  Colonel  a  close  second  in 
the  extent  to  which  the  flowing  bowl  had  wrought 
havoc  with  her  mental  vibrations,  but  she  stuck  to 
yours  truly  like  a — burr. 

^'Well,  a  circus  happened  to  be  doing  business  in 
the  town,  and  the  Colonel  began  to  lead  us  toward 
it,  chanting  songs  en  route,  and  admonishing  the 
populace  as  to  his  virtues. 

^'Somehow  the  widow  and  I  got  separated  from 
the  other  two  for  a  Httle,  and  we  were  nosing  among 
the  crowds  around  the  side-show  tent,  and  along  a 
sort  of  fakirs'  row,  when  all  of  a  sudden  Clarissa — 
and  take  it  from  me,  she  was  grotesque,  saddled 
with  a  tip-tilted  hat,  a  disordered  green  gown  and  a 
desire  to  weep — halted,  and  gripped  my  arm,  and 
screamed  in  my  ear: 

"'Oh,  look  there,  Weston  d-e-a-r,  look!'  I  looked. 
She  was  pointing  a  finger  at  a  sign  that  stuck  out  of  a 
little  tent  beside  the  road,  on  which  was  printed  in 
large  letters,  the  words:   'Marriages  Performed  Here.' 

"Just  then  along  comes  the  'Cunnel/  chanting  as 
usual.  Something  in  Clarissa's  attitude  caught  his 
attention,  for  he  roared  out,  suddenly: 

"'Oh,  ho!  ha,  ha!  Want  ter  git  married,  little 
'un?'  Then  turning  to  me  he  shouted:  'Why  don't 
cher  marry  the  lady?'  A  sentimental  look  crept  over 
his  face.  The  little  green-hatted  girl  was  hanging  to 
his  arm  and  he  looked  down  at  her  a-blinking: 

"'Le's  all  git  spliced.      Wh'  you  shay,  ole  man?' 

Ill 


THE     OSTRICH 

''The  noise  that  he  made  had  already  attracted 
a  small-sized  crowd,  and  a  little  man  in  a  round, 
black  cap  and  a  striped,  seersucker  coat  poked  his 
head  out  between  the  tent  flaps  and  beckoned  the 
Colonel  to  enter. 

'' '  Ef  you  ladies  'n  gents  would  like  ter  git  hitched, 
this  'ere's  th'  place,'  he  explained  after  we  had  walked 
in.  *We  furnish  th'  license  and  pervide  th'  parson. 
They  ain't  no  thin'  fer  ye  ter  do  but  dig  up  two 
bones;  jist  stand  up  'n  say  th'  word.' 

*'His  brisk,  business-like  manner  caught  the 
Colonel's  fancy. 

"'All  right,  son,  put  'er  through  with  me  'n  this 
gal,'  he  said.  Then,  looking  over  his  shoulder  at 
me,  with  the  widow  hanging  closely  to  my  arm:  "n 
then  tackle  them  two  behind.' 

''By  that  time  the  crowd  from  outside  had  begun 
to  swarm  in  just  like  bees.  There  was  some  horse 
laughter,  but  no  one  said  very  much,  and  it  was 
evident  that  everybody  felt  a  good  deal  of  curiosity. 
The  widow  had  steadied  up  a  Kttle — I  think  the 
excitement  of  the  proposition  sort  of  charmed  her 
half  sober,  for  she  made  a  heroic  attempt  to  straighten 
her  hat,  aimed  a  jab  or  two  at  her  hair,  and  while  a 
tall,  sallow-looking  man  wearing  a  black  coat  and  a 
white  tie  was  reading  the  ceremony  that  made 
John  Whittier  Drayton  and  Mattie  Maria  Sils 
man  and  wife,  Clarissa  somehow  loosed  her  grip  on 
my  arm,  let  go  altogether,  and  raising  herself  on  her 

112 


CLARISSA 

tiptoes,  looked  over  the  bride's  shoulder,  all  strung 
up  with  interest. 

"It  had  all  seemed  a  huge  joke  to  me.  But 
now,  all  of  a  sudden,  I  began  to  do  some  rapid- 
fire  thinking.  Then,  while  everybody's  eyes  were 
centred  on  the  parson  who  was  declaiming:  'I 
pronounce  thee  man  and  wife,^  I  scooted  down, 
wriggled  through  the  crowd  around  me,  and  lighted 
away  from  that  tent  like  a  gazelle  pursued  by  the 
Devil. 

"A  loud  scream  that  sounded  fearfully  like  Clarissa 
starting  in  on  one  of  her  tear  storms  echoed  in  my 
ears  as  I  dodged  towards  the  railroad  station,  but  you 
can  bet  I  didn't  stop  to  look  back  and  by  the  fort- 
unes that  followed  the  blessed,  I  managed  to  get 
a  strangle  hold  on  the  train  just  as  it  was  pulling 
out." 

Harwood  had  barely  finished  his  story  when  the 
voice  of  the  widow,  raspingly  sharp  and  cutting,  was 
heard  outside  the  open  window. 

''Get  things  moving  now,  Miss.  We  have  only  a 
little  time."  And  the  three  friends,  looking  out,  to 
their  astonishment  beheld  Kady  MacDown,  pre- 
ceded by  My  lie,  being  herded  into  a  carriage  evi- 
dently bound  for  the  railway  station. 

Later  Peter  learned  that  Kady  had  suddenly  re- 
ceived word  that  her  tiny  income  had  been  cut  off 
by  the  death  of  her  guardian  and  uncle,  and  being 
too  proud  to  accept  aid  from  her  friends  among  the 

1 13 


THE     O  STRICH 

masculine  contingent,  and  without  women  friends, 
the  girl  had  taken  a  position  as  travelling  companion 
with  the  widow. 

The  same  day  Peter  himself,  gathering  together  his 
traps,  and  bidding  good-bye  to  his  acquaintances, 
again  set  out  on  his  travels. 


114 


IX 

AN  ADVENTURE   WITH   BEARS 

For  over  a  year  after  his  departure  from  Los 
Angeles,  Peter's  whereabouts  were  known  to  his 
friends  in  New  York  only  through  occasional  letters 
whose  postmarks  varied  from  San  Antonio  and  El 
Paso  to  Denver  and  Tacoma. 

One  afternoon  in  middle  March  the  elder  Rut- 
ledge  received  a  long  letter  from  his  son  which  closed 
with  the  following: 

^'I  have  decided  to  wind  up  my  tour  out  here  with 
a  trip  into  the  far  North.  I  ran  into  Craig  Winter 
the  other  day.  He  is  out  here  cruising  about  in  the 
Corsair,  his  father's  yacht.  In  some  ways,  Craig 
needs  a  nurse  as  much  as  he  ever  did.  But  you  know 
what  chums  we  were  in  college,  and  since  our  meet- 
ing last  week  the  impression  has  grown  on  me  that 
he  has  a  purpose  somewhere  in  the  back  of  his  head 
which,  sooner  or  later,  will  make  a  man  of  him,  and 
incidentally  help  the  world. 

^'To-morrow  the  Corsair  will  come  here,  to  Seattle, 
to  take  on  fresh  supplies  and  a  hunting  outfit.  At 
first  I  refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the  trip, 
but  Craig  offered  to  give  me  a  free  hand  to  map  out 

11=; 


THE    OSTRICH 

sailing  directions  and  the  whole  itinerary  as  I  chose, 
so  in  the  end  I  decided  to  take  him  up  with  thanks. 

"I  am  longing  to  see  you  again,  but  I  feel  that  my 
journey  out  here  lacks  completion  without  a  voyage 
to  Alaska.  I  will  write  you  frequently  and  will  be 
there  to  see  you  before  winter  comes  again.  Your 
affectionate  son,  Peter.'' 

Three  days  later  found  Peter  and  his  friend,  Craig, 
running  out  of  Seattle  Harbor  on  board  one  of  the 
trimmest,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  stanchest 
bits  of  nautical  workmanship  that  the  millions  of 
an  Eastern  banker  had  ever  been  able  to  acquire. 

Ten  years  before  ''Old  Man  Winter,"  as  he  was 
known  in  Wall  Street,  had  pursued  a  hobby  for  hunt- 
ing in  the  North  and,  with  his  accustomed  extrava- 
gance, he  had  had  the  Corsair  built  on  the  west 
coast  for  that  special  purpose.  Now  she  was  his 
son's  plaything,  to  do  with  as  Craig  chose. 

As  this  luxuriously  fitted,  glistening-white  steam 
yacht  nosed  her  way  among  the  beautiful  and  pictu- 
resque islands  of  Puget  Sound,  leaving  behind  a 
stretch  of  silver  upon  the  silent  and  otherwise  un- 
rippled  surface  of  the  water,  and  here  and  there  put- 
ting to  flight  flocks  of  sea-fowl  and  wild  ducks,  Peter 
and  his  companion  felt  at  once  the  wonderful  charm 
of  the  locahty. 

Their  first  stop  was  at  Metlakatla,  the  little  gov- 
ernment reservation  on  Annette  Island,  where  a 
visit  was  paid  to  Father  Duncan. 

ii6 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

The  miracle  which  that  heroic  missionary  had 
wrought  upon  his  "children,'^  a  band  of  less  than  a 
thousand  Indians  who  were  cannibals  when  he  found 
them,  remained  impressed  upon  Peter's  mind  ever 
afterwards. 

^Xhristian,'^  as  the  priest  was  popularly  spoken  of 
by  the  natives,  showed  Peter  and  Craig  over  the 
store,  cannery  and  saw-mill  where  the  inhabitants 
were  working  co-operatively,  each  man  doing  his 
best,  and  happy  in  the  work.  The  two  friends  were 
also  invited  to  inspect  the  governmental  system  which 
provided  for  the  regular  election  of  administrative 
officials  and  a  police  service,  and  which  imposed  and 
enforced  a  curfew  law. 

The  houses  in  Metlakatla,  the  priest  explained 
were  all  built  by  the  natives,  and  it  was  a  law  of  the 
community  that  no  young  man  should  marry  until 
he  had  built  his  own  home. 

Peter  and  Craig  remained  here  for  some  time 
studying  this  unique  experiment  in  sociology  before 
they  bade  farewell  to  the  kindly  and  venerable  mis- 
sionary and  his  adopted  people  and  sailed  north- 
ward. 

At  Old  Kasaan  they  got  their  first  view  of  the  region 
of  totem  poles  which,  beginning  with  this  deserted 
Indian  village,  and  extending  all  along  the  northern 
passage,  have  made  southeastern  Alaska  famous. 

Then  they  went  on,  exploring  the  notable  old  towns 
of  Wrangell,  Petersburg,  Juneau  and  Skagway,  getting 

117 


THE     O  STRICH 

glimpses  of  the  wonderful  Auk  and  Eagle  glaciers, 
en  route,  and  finally  making  their  way  back  to  Bar- 
anof  and  Sitka  Harbor. 

Sitka,  formerly  a  celebrated  fur-trading  post,  has 
the  distinction  of  having  been  the  capital  of  Alaska, 
and  the  mellow,  quaint,  old-world  atmosphere  per- 
vading the  place  charmed  both  the  travellers.  Here 
they  found  a  treasure-filled  cathedral,  so  beautiful 
in  its  picturesqueness  as  to  bring  vividly  to  the  mind 
of  each  the  memory  of  those  ancient,  ivy-clad  churches 
that  render  entrancing  the  sleeping  lanes  and  cliffs 
of  Brittany. 

Above  Sitka  hangs  the  snowy  crater  of  Edgecomb. 
Strange  faces,  as  foreign  in  appearance  as  many  of 
the  buildings,  thronged  the  streets,  and  it  was  Hke 
a  welcoming  to  Peter  and  Craig  when  they  came 
upon  a  detachment  of  Uncle  Sam's  troops  swinging 
across  the  parade  grounds  of  a  station  there.  For  a 
moment  their  hearts  beat  faster,  and  each  youth  in- 
stinctively lifted  his  hat  to  the  familiar  colors  float- 
ing from  the  masthead  above  the  post  building. 

And  now,  early  signs  of  spring  indicating  that  the 
big  brown  bear,  Alaska's  most  dangerous  and  noble 
game,  was  awake,  the  Corsair's  nose  was  headed  for 
Admiralty  Island  where  finally  Captain  Swift,  the 
sailing  master,  came  to  anchor  in  Chapin  Bay,  a 
beautiful  land-locked  harbor  just  off  the  dangerous 
Chatham  Straits. 

The  next  morning  at  dawn,  accompanied  by  Jim, 

iiS 


AN    ADVENTURE     WITH     BEARS 

a  six-foot  tall,  leathery-skinned  guide  brought  from 
Sitka  and  four  sailors  equipped  with  three  days' 
rations  for  all,  the  two  sportsmen  were  rowed  round 
the  reef  that  reached  out  for  a  mile  into  the  straits 
and  finally  landed  in  Murderer's  Cove,  an  inlet  that 
got  its  name  from  a  series  of  homicides  committed  by 
a  madman  who,  until  he  was  finally  slain  by  a  bear, 
was  accustomed  to  attack  and  behead  every  person 
who  landed  on  the  island.  Because  of  the  precipi- 
tous nature  of  Admiralty's  coast  line.  Murderer's  Cove 
was  the  only  spot  where  it  was  possible  to  disembark 
in  safety. 

Leaving  the  four  sailors  to  wait  their  return,  Peter 
and  Craig,  each  bearing  a  thirty-pound  kit  besides 
his  heavy  rifle,  set  off  behind  big  Jim. 

Admiralty  with  its  spruce  -  timbered  cliffs  and 
ravines  abounding  in  skunk's-cabbage,  the  bear's 
favorite  tidbit  in  the  early  spring,  was  reputed  to  be 
a  bruin's  paradise. 

However,  an  all-day  tramp  beneath  tundra-fes- 
tooned boughs  and  over  what  seemed  to  both  Peter 
and  Craig  miles  of  mountain  underbrush  failed  to 
reveal  traces  of  the  big  game  and,  that  night  when 
Peter  unstrapped  his  kit  and  sank  down  on  top  of 
it  to  listen  to  Craig's  grunts  of  weariness  and  watch 
Jim  build  a  fire,  he  was  inclined  to  doubt  the  wisdom 
of  their  choice  of  hunting  grounds. 

"I  say,  old  man,"  said  Craig,  ''we're  getting  our 
money's  worth  of  this— a  full  day  in  the  wilds  and 

119 


THE    O  STRICH 

nothing  in  sight  larger  than  half-wild  deer  and  a  few 
grouse." 

The  guide,  who  was  breaking  dry  twigs  and  toss- 
ing them  upon  the  now  crackling  flames,  allowed  a 
grin  to  spread  over  his  lean  cheeks. 

"You  get  heem,  by'm  by,  ter-morrer." 

"You're  darn  sure  of  it,  Jim,"  said  Winter,  sar- 
castically. 

"Wait,  you  see,"  repHed  the  guide  laconically,  as 
he  selected  a  tin  dish  from  the  kit  and  proceeded 
towards  the  nearby  spring. 

Following  a  meal  of  roasted  partridge,  the  two 
friends  lost  little  time  in  seeking  their  blankets,  but 
before  daylight  Jim  had  marshalled  them  in  line 
again,  and  they  resumed  the  hunt.  For  two  hours, 
until  the  sun  had  well  risen,  nothing  occurred  and 
Peter,  who  was  the  tougher  of  the  two,  was  finally 
on  the  point  of  supplementing  Craig's  pathetically 
humorous  appeals  to  Jim,  to  cut  it  out  and  return 
to  the  Corsair,  when  suddenly,  as  they  broke  into  a 
Httle  clearing  beneath  a  mountain  ledge,  the  guide 
stopped,  turned  round  and  significantly  motioned 
upward.  Looking  up,  Peter  saw  what  was  evidently 
the  entrance  to  a  cave,  well  above  his  head.  But 
hardly  had  he  noted  the  aperture  when  Craig,  who 
in  spite  of  his  dislike  for  climbing  was  a  true  sports- 
man, suddenly  flung  aside  his  rifle,  jumped  ahead, 
and  began  scrambling  up  the  side  of  the  precipice. 

It  took  but  an  instant  to  solve  the  mystery  of  this 

1 20 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

wild  manoeuvre.  A  pair  of  bear  cubs  of  perhaps 
twenty  pounds'  weight  had  poked  their  noses  out  of 
the  cave.  A  moment  later  the  surprised  youngsters 
were  seized  by  Craig  and  sent  tumbling  down  onto 
the  leafy  moss  at  the  feet  of  the  other  two.  But  as 
Peter  sprang  forward  to  lay  hands  on  the  squealing 
cubs,  Jim  became  suddenly  animated: 

"Run  queek!    Old  bear  come — mad!"  he  shouted. 

Hardly  had  he  spoken  when  a  snarling  roar  wak- 
ened the  echoes  and  not  one,  but  a  pair  of  the  most 
villanous  brown  bears  ever  seen  on  Admiralty  Island 
crashed  into  view  at  the  right. 

Craig,  who  had  reached  the  level  and  snatched  up 
the  cubs  despite  Jim's  warning,  instantly  dropped 
them,  seized  his  rifle  and  with  the  other  two  took 
aim  at  the  onrushing  animals. 

Simultaneously  three  rifles  cracked.  Neither  of  the 
bears  halted.     Jim's  shrill  voice  steadied  them: 

"Agin!"  he  screamed,  "heet  front  of  foreleg!" 

Once  more  the  rifles  spoke.  Then,  as  the  three 
scattered  toward  the  nearest  trees,  the  male  bear 
with  a  roar  that  reverberated  across  the  mountain 
valley  was  seen  to  rise  on  his  haunches,  frantically 
paw  the  air  for  a  moment  and  with  a  grunt  fall  over 
on  his  back  and  lie  still. 

Each  man  had  retreated  to  cover  now.  The 
mother  bear,  with  blood  dripping  from  her  foam- 
flecked  jaws,  and  despite  two  gaping  holes  in  her 
breast  and  flank  came  on  with  a  whine  of  rage. 

121 


THE     OSTRICH 

Pausing  beside  her  cubs  only  long  enough  for  a  re- 
assuring sniff,  she  made  straight  at  the  tree  behind 
which  Craig  had  sought  shelter. 

Crack!  The  guide's  rifle  spoke,  sending  another 
Mauser  bullet  into  the  animal's  hide.  But  she  still 
kept  her  feet  and  had  almost  reached  Craig's  refuge 
when  the  latter,  with  his  gun  raised,  stepped  out  to 
take  aim.  As  he  did  so  his  foot  struck  a  projecting 
root,  he  slipped,  tried  to  recover  and  fell  on  his  back 
with  the  bear  upon  him. 

Then  the  guide  made  the  shot  of  the  day. 

Already  on  one  knee,  Jim  cast  a  single  swift  glance 
along  his  rifle  barrel  and  as  his  gun  spurted  flame 
bruin,  now  in  the  act  of  bringing  down  her  paw  with 
deadly  force  upon  Craig,  suddenly  swayed,  shivered 
and  crumpled  up  in  a  lifeless  heap. 

Three  hours  later  Jim  had  stripped  the  hides  from 
the  two  giant  carcasses  and,  with  the  most  mischievous 
cubs  ever  captured  in  tow,  the  trio  were  on  their  way 
back  to  Murderer's  Cove.  It  proved  a  long  tramp 
to  the  boat  where  they  found  the  waiting  crew  anxious 
to  put  off  to  the  yacht. 

Night  was  well  at  hand  and  the  sky  had  grown 
sombre  and  overcast  when  the  boat  was  launched 
and  headed  into  Chatham  Straits.  And  now  ensued 
a  startling  episode,  and  one  which,  had  it  not  been 
for  cool  heads  assisted  by  what  afterwards  seemed  to 
all  in  the  boat  to  be  the  kindness  of  Providence,  would 
probably  have  cost  the  hves  of  everyone  on  board. 

122 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

Chatham  Straits  are  a  terror  to  all  mariners  in  the 
North  because  of  the  glacial  hurricanes,  known  as 
''woolies,"  which  are  apt  to  sweep  down  upon  them 
at  a  moment's  notice. 

When  the  dory  with  its  seven  occupants  started 
out  on  the  row  back  around  the  mile-long  ledge,  the 
water  in  the  inlet  was  fairly  smooth  but  the  whisper 
of  the  rising  wind  could  be  heard  plainly  out  in  the 
straits.  As  the  boat  progressed,  it  was  plain  that  a 
storm  was  rising.  With  the  wind  cutting  across  the 
mouth  of  Murderer's  Cove,  it  was  also  clear  that  the 
row  out  into  the  straits  would  have  to  be  lengthened 
to  a  good  two  miles  if  the  boat  was  to  go  clear  of  the 
ledge  when  the  moment  came  to  turn  and  head  with 
the  gale  into  Chapin  Bay. 

Night  had  fallen  before  the  dory  nosed  out  into  the 
full  sweep  of  the  straits.     Then  suddenly  the  real 
gravity  of  the  situation  dawned  upon  all.     Darkness 
made  it  impossible  to  see  the  reef.     The  waves  had 
become  mountains.     A  terrihc  ^'  woolie  "  was  blowimr 
Jim  yelled  to  Peter  to  put  back  but  the  latter,  who 
held  the  tiller,  knew  that  the  advice  had  come  too 
late  and  he  kept  the  boat's  head  well  up  into  the  wind. 
Craig  and  the  guide,  with  the  cubs  between  them 
in  the  bow,  received  the  brunt  of  the  spray  which 
drenched  all  on  board. 
The  situation  had  become  extremely  critical. 
The  ledge,  with  the  breakers  combing  over  it,  lay 
somewhere  to  the  left.     If  they  went  too  far  beyond 

123 


THE     O  STRICH 

the  end  of  the  reef,  the  boat  would  be  swept  down 
Chatham  Straits  and  would  probably  founder.  If 
they  turned  too  soon,  the  frail  dory  would  dash  all 
to  death  upon  the  ledge.  Safety  depended  largely 
upon  the  judgment  of  the  helmsman.  The  task  of 
coming  about  when  it  became  necessary  also  called 
for  a  cool  hand  and  head,  for  in  Chatham  Straits  the 
waves  drive  in  ''threes/'  a  small  billow  coming 
first,  then  one  of  middle  height  and  finally  a  moun- 
tainous swell. 

In  coming  about  in  the  darkness,  Peter  not  only 
had  to  guess  correctly  when  they  had  rowed  out  far 
enough  to  escape  the  reef  but  the  turn  had  to  be 
executed  when  they  were  on  top  of  the  largest  wave 
of  a  "  three."     Otherwise  they  were  likely  to  founder. 

The  wind  was  now  a  terrible  roar.  Realizing  the 
peril  each  of  the  four  men  at  the  oars  was  heroically 
bending  to  his  task.     No  one  spoke. 

Every  heart  beat  faster  as  Peter's  voice  rang  out 
suddenly  ordering  all  to  prepare  for  the  turn.  Then 
the  dory  was  flung  up  on  the  summit  of  a  great  billow; 
Peter  uttered  a  sharp  command;  the  port  oars  caught 
and  held  for  a  moment;  the  spray  ceased  to  fly; 
and  instantly  all  on  board  felt  the  easing  of  the  strain 
as  the  boat  swung  off  with  the  wind. 

The  roar  of  the  breakers  now  seemed  to  be  rising 
directly  ahead.     Were  they  driving  to  death? 

The  Httle  craft  was  lifted  on  high;  then  she  eased 
into  the  hollow  beneath.     As  she  did  so  there  was 

124 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

a  dull  scraping  against  the  side,  an  oar  was  unshipped, 
a  huge  rock  loomed  up  for  a  moment  out  of  the  dark- 
ness and  then  was  gone.  The  boat  with  its  seven 
occupants  was  barely  shaving  the  end  of  the  deadly 
reef.  Instantly  every  rower  bent  with  redoubled 
energy  to  his  oars.  All  on  board  knew  that  this  was 
the  crisis.  The  roar  of  the  surf  at  the  right  seemed 
to  thunder  on  all  sides  for  a  few  moments.  Then 
as  the  oar-blades  and  the  wind  drove  the  craft  steadily 
forward  into  Chapin  Bay  there  was  a  perceptible 
lessening  of  sound,  gradually  the  seas  diminished  and 
half  an  hour  later  they  made  out  the  anchor  lights 
on  board  the  Corsair. 

The  next  morning  Peter  directed  Captain  Swift 
to  run  back  to  Sitka  where  the  guide  was  landed,  and 
from  whence  Peter  shipped  the  two  bear  cubs  to  his 
sister  in  Philadelphia.  Later  when  he  returned  to 
New  York  he  learned  that  the  bears  had  proven  so 
troublesome  to  Helen  that  her  husband  had  pre- 
sented them  to  Dr.  Carson  the  head  of  the  Zoologi- 
cal Gardens  in  Philadelphia  v/here  the  two  animals, 
now  full  grown,  are  still  on  exhibition. 

From  Sitka  the  Corsair  sailed  for  Cordova,  the 
newly  risen  town  of  the  Alaskan  copper  kings,  where 
it  had  been  arranged  to  receive  mail  from  home. 
A  surprise  in  the  form  of  a  wired  message  from  Craig's 
father  waited  them  there.  Winter,  senior,  requested 
his  son  to  take  on  board  an  engineer  whom  Mr.  Winter 
was  employing  to  investigate  ore  properties  in  the 

125 


THE    OSTRICH 

Copper  River  region  and  whom,  the  message  ran,  it 
was  particularly  desired  to  have  rushed  back  to  New 
York. 

The  banker  had  written  Rogers,  the  man  in  ques- 
tion, for  Craig  and  Peter  had  barely  received  the 
message  when  Rogers  appeared.  There  was  noth- 
ing to  do  but  to  comply  with  the  father's  request, 
and  after  the  two  had  taken  a  hasty  survey  of 
this  Alaskan  town  which  has  its  being  in  the  rail- 
road terminus  that  has  opened  a  channel  there 
through  which  billions  of  dollars  in  coal  and  ore  are 
to  flow  out  of  the  great  Northern  Peninsula  into  the 
pockets  of  a  few  of  the  world's  money  barons,  the 
Corsair  was  headed  southward  with  the  new  pas- 
senger. 

Young  Rogers,  who  was  a  graduate  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Institute  of  Technology,  had  spent  a  year 
and  a  half  inspecting  territory  which  was  the  cause 
of  one  of  the  nation's  most  notorious  land-grabbing 
scandals. 

On  the  day  before  the  arrival  of  the  Corsair  in 
Seattle,  the  wind-tanned  engineer  sat  beneath  the 
awning  in  the  stern  of  the  yacht  explaining  to  Peter 
and  Craig  what  he  termed  the  most  colossal  plot 
ever  devised  to  deprive  the  American  people  of 
billions  of  dollars'  worth  of  natural  resources. 

^'One  of  the  government's  earlier  geological  sur- 
veys indicated  that  there  were  twelve  thousand  square 
miles  of  the  finest  coal  land  up  there,"  said  Rogers. 

126 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

*Xater  explorations  show  that  there  may  be  more 
than  ten  times  that  coal  area,  worth  to  the  people  of 
the  country  an  incalculable  sum.  The  mushroom 
city  of  Cordova  has  sprung  up  from  nothing  through 
the  ramifications  of  those  who  expect  to  acquire 
control  of  this  wealth  of  coal  and  of  a  fortune  in  cop- 
per and  other  metals  equally  as  great.  Of  course, 
these  men  claim  that  they  are  wholly  within  the  law, 
but  they  are  in  reality  a  gigantic  robber  trust." 

*'But  if  what  they  do  is  legal — "  Peter  interrupted. 

"It's  legal  according  to  the  laws  which  the  paid 
servants  of  these  plunderers  get  enacted, '^  answered 
Rogers.  "Otherwise  it's  too  criminal  to  discuss. 
These  men  also  mean  to  gain  possession  of  all  the 
water  power  rights  in  Alaska  and  the  Cascade  range. 
Their  plan  is,  first  to  be  able  to  exercise  autocratic 
power  over  all  shipments  out  of  the  country  by  ac- 
quiring control  of  the  harbor  frontage  all  about  the 
mouth  of  the  Copper  River,  and  secondly  to  dis- 
courage all  competitive  mining  by  having  their  paid 
engineers  declare  all  ore  property  not  their  own  to 
be  valueless.'* 

"But  if  it's  a  steal  and  everybody  knows  it's  a 
steal,  why  can't  we  make  'em  quit — just  fire  'em 
out?"   asked  Craig. 

"It  can't  be  done  in  these  times,"  replied  Rogers. 
"They  get  control  by  subterfuge,  stealth  and  the 
power  of  wealth,  and  you  can  no  more  dislodge  them 
than  you  can  pull  down  the  mountains." 

127 


THE    OSTRICH 

"I  don't  agree  with  that,"  interjected  Peter, 
quickly.  ''You  know  what  is  said  about  fooling  all 
the  people  all  the  time.  Some  day  Americans  will 
wake  up  in  a  body,  change  their  system,  and  then- 
well,  every  such  colossal  theft  will  have  to  be  un- 
done—" 

The  sun-swept  face  of  the  young  engineer  turned 
quickly.     His  eyes  gleamed: 

''But  that  'some  day'  is,  very  likely,  a  long  way 
off!" 

" Perhaps  not  as  far  as  we  fancy,"  responded  Peter. 

That  evening  the  Corsair  dropped  anchor  in  Seat- 
tle Harbor  whence  Rogers  hastened  ashore  to  catch 
the  night  flyer  East  while  the  other  two  climbed  out 
of  khaki  suits  into  civilized  garb,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  many  weeks  conventionally  joined  a  proces- 
sion of  theatre-goers,  after  which  they  sought  out 
the  grill-room  of  a  first-class  hotel. 

"Well,  Craig,"  said  Peter  finally,  glancing  across 
at  his  clear-eyed  companion  who  was  now  revelling 
in  the  delights  of  a  thick  beefsteak  well  spread  with 
mushrooms,  "what's  the  moral  of  all  our  fun?  Has 
there  been  any?  " 

"Moral,"  drawled  the  other,  pausing  in  the  act  of 
taking  a  particularly  luscious  mouthful,  "you  don't 
mean  to  say,  Stuyvesant,  that  you've  been  hunting 
for  morals  along  with  bears  and  totems?" 

"Yes,"  rejoined  Peter,  "I  have,  and  I've  found 
one.     It's  just  this — Rogers  gave  us  the  cue — you 

128 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

can't  humanize  men  as  long  as  their  industrial  sys- 
tem puts  a  premium  on  greed  and  looting.  Down 
in  lazy  Mexico,  in  the  soft  temperature  of  Los  Ange- 
les, out  on  the  plains  of  the  central  West  and  up 
North  amid  the  winter  rigors  of  ice  and  snow,  it's  all 
the  same.  There's  only  a  little  humanity  to  be  found 
anywhere.  Broad  humanity  is  lacking.  The  well- 
spring  of  business  motives  has  got  to  be  changed. 
I  don't  know  just  how  that  is  to  be  accomplished, 
but  I  intend  to  learn." 

''When  you  find  out,  let  me  know,  Stuyvie.  I'm  a 
bloomin'  stray  one  myself,  a  sort  of  untethered  goat, 
but  before  I'm  too  old  to  masticate  steaks  like  this  I'll 
get  together  and  maybe  give  things  a  little  push 
that'll  help  'em  along." 

The  next  morning  these  two  friends  bade  each  other 
good-bye,  Craig  going  southward  to  join  the  ranks  of 
the  tarpon  colony  at  Avalon,  while  Peter  sought  out 
the  banker  to  whom  he  had  been  recommended  in  a 
letter  from  home. 

Garrulous  little  Amos  Metcalf  was  one  of  Seattle's 
foremost  citizens.  He  had  fox-like  gray  eyes  that 
gleamed  when  he  spoke,  and  a  cold  and  clammy  hand 
which  caused  Peter  to  shiver  when  he  touched  it. 
But  it  was  plain  from  the  first  that  the  man  regarded 
Peter  as  one  of  his  own  kind — a  member  of  that  class 
called  the  privileged,  only  the  banker's  all  too  evi- 
dent obsequiousness  proved  his  reverence  for  New 
Yorkers  of  that  brand. 

129 


THE     O  STRICH 

^'Seattle  isn't  what  it  was  before  the  panic,"  he 
volunteered  during  a  general  conversation  wherein 
Peter  had  remarked  on  the  city's  apparently  advan- 
tageous location  with  reference  to  the  business  of 
Alaska  and  the  rest  of  the  country.  ''A  good  many 
people  here  fell  by  the  wayside  then — couldn't  meet 
their  mortgages  and  such  like,  when  we  felt  obliged 
to  call  in  our  loans.  So,  you  see,  property  sort  of 
went  to  smash." 

"I  don't  quite  understand  you,"  said  Peter. 

Amos  smirked  and  spread  out  his  white,  claw-like 
hands  upon  the  top  of  the  mahogany  table  between 
them. 

''Naturally  some  of  us  bankers  profited  by  the 
panic.    We  had  a  little  warning  beforehand." 

Peter,  paying  close  attention,  suddenly  felt  amaze- 
ment and  indignation  boiling  up  inside. 

*'Yes,  ye  see,"  went  on  Amos,  ''the  big  operators 
of  Wall  Street  sent  us  secret  code  wires  offering  un- 
usually large  interest  rates  for  loans  on  six  months' 
paper.  We're  a  long  way  from  Wall  Street  here 
but  we  knew  well  enough  that  something  was  up  and 
we  kept  our  ears  and  eyes  wide  open.  Naturally  we 
were  glad  to  lend  funds  on  such  advantageous  terms 
to  men  of  such  high  prestige  in  the  money  world,  so 
several  of  us  bankers  got  together  here  and  began 
to  call  in  our  outstanding  loans." 

"But,"  broke  in  Peter,  "wasn't  that  just  what 
those  telegrams  were  for — to  trick  you  into  calling 

130 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH     BEARS 

in  your  local  loans,  that  those  New  Yorkers  might 
secure  the  money  to  help  them  out  when  the  bottom 
was  struck?'' 

''I  expect  that  was  about  it,"  replied  the  other, 
smacking  his  lips  with  satisfaction.  ''Naturally 
when  our  borrowers  couldn't  pay  us  we  just  had  to 
take  over  a  good  deal  of  their  realty.'' 

''It  must  have  put  a  lot  of  your  property  owners 
down  and  out,"  said  Peter.  The  banker  mournfully 
shook  his  head,  at  the  same  time  rubbing  his  hands 
together  briskly. 

"Yes,  it  did  some.  But,  you  know,  we  bankers 
have  to  use  our  best  judgment — that  is,  protect  our 
stockholders  up  to  the  very  limit — that's  imperative 
— and  take  advantage  of  every  fair  opportunity  for 
increasing  our  interest  earnings.  Naturally,  there  have 
been  some  hard  times  here  in  Seattle  since  the  crash." 

"But  not  for  the  banks?"  interposed  Peter. 

"No,  not  for  the  banks,"  said  the  little  man, 
winking  gleefully. 

"That  is,  you  mean  that  you  deliberately  robbed 
your  own  home  people  of  their  holdings,  took  them 
unexpectedly,  forced  them  out  of  their  possessions 
and  into  insolvency,  in  order  to  loan  money  to  a  half- 
dozen  or  more  high-handed  thieves  in  Wall  Street?  " 

Amos  Metcalf  suddenly  jerked  himself  up  in  his 
chair  and  stared  at  Peter. 

"Why — why — that's  putting  it  pretty  strong — I 
thought—" 


THE     OSTRICH 

"Yes,  you  thought  I  would  sympathize  with  your 
methods  of  getting  rich  at  the  expense  of  hundreds 
of  others — by  ruining  your  own  neighbors  to  get  a  few 
per  cent,  more  interest  from  these  ruthless  pluto- 
crats in  New  York  who  have  but  to  lift  a  finger  to 
own  such  men  as  you." 

The  httle  man  had  risen  to  his  feet. 

''Sir,  your  language  is  insulting.  I  pursued  only 
the  usual  and  legal  methods  of  business." 

"You've  forgotten  your  humanity,"  replied  Peter, 
"or  you  never  possessed  any."  Without  another 
word  he  turned  his  back  upon  the  nonplussed  little 
rascal  and  leaving  the  bank  returned  to  his  hotel. 
There  he  found  a  message  waiting  him  from  Dr. 
Randall  informing  him  of  the  critical  illness  of  Her- 
mann Romwitz. 

Instantly  all  of  his  deepest  sympathies  were 
wakened.  He  resolved  to  start  immediately  for  the 
East.  Many  times  during  his  recent  travels  he  had 
thought  of  poor  Hermann  and  his  family,  and  several 
letters,  badly  spelled  but  brave,  cheerful  and  teem- 
ing with  optimism  had  reached  him  from  little 
Felix,  who  evidently  felt  himself  to  be  the  mainstay 
of  the  other  four  because  of  his  success  in  caring  for 
the  little  truck  garden  attached  to  the  country  home 
where  Peter  had  placed  the  family. 

"I  will  do  all  in  my  power  to  lighten  the  last  days 
of  these  unfortunate  people,"  was  his  thought  as  he 
watched  the  last  lights  of  Seattle  flash   past   the 

132 


AN    ADVENTURE    WITH    BEARS 

windows  of  the  train  that  was  bearing  him  homeward. 
Then  again  his  mind  went  back  to  Amos  Metcalf's 
disclosures  of  how  this  Western  city  that  he  was 
leaving  behind  had  received  a  staggering  blow. 
He  knew  that  the  craft  of  the  country's  great  money 
kings  had  inflicted  the  wrong.  It  flashed  upon  him 
that  Seattle  was  one  of  the  arms  of  an  octopus  of 
greed  whose  ramifications  extended  from  Alaska  to 
Mexico  and  from  San  Francisco  to  New  York.  It 
was  sucking  the  very  life-blood  from  the  entire  land. 
The  baby  in  the  sweat-shop,  the  rancher  on  the  plain, 
the  humble  house -owner  in  the  city,  all  were  its 
victims. 


133 


X 

"THE  HOUR  WILL   COME"— 

From  boyhood  Hermann  Romwitz  had  struggled 
and  fought  against  poverty.  Jan,  his  step-brother, 
who  collected  rags  and  bottles  and  to  whom  the  baby, 
Hermann,  was  left  before  he  could  lisp  a  word,  was 
terribly  poor.  But  Jan  spoke  English  and  so  Her- 
mann grew  up  to  use  that  tongue  instead  of  the  mixed 
Yiddish  of  his  immigrant  forbears. 

Shortly  after  Hermann  first  went  out  to  service  in 
a  little  tailor's  shop,  Jan  died  from  the  same  cough 
that  had  taken  off  his  parents. 

Thus  at  nine  years  of  age  Hermann  was  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources.  He  managed  to  get  along. 
He  was  permitted  to  sleep  in  a  corner  of  his  em- 
ployer's workroom,  a  dismal,  little  apartment  in 
a  gloomy  basement  always  draughty  and  damp. 
The  dollar  and  a  half  that  he  got  every  Saturday 
night  paid  for  his  food  and  sometimes  he  even  saved 
a  little  out  of  that. 

He  worked  there  nine  years,  and  when  he  was 
receiving  eight  dollars  a  week  he  met  Rachael  Novitch 
and  they  were  married.  Life  was  filled  with  golden 
dreams  then  for  Hermann  and  for  Rachael,  too. 

134 


"THE    HOUR    WILL    COME"- 

It  was  almost  ten  years  before  little  Felix  came 
and  in  the  meanwhile,  with  Rachael's  slender  earn- 
ings and  his  own  increased  by  dint  of  working  late  at 
night  after  he  returned  home  from  the  tailor  shop, 
Hermann  managed  to  hoard  a  small  sum.  But  one 
day,  through  the  defalcation  of  a  cashier,  the  bank 
that  kept  this  money  failed  and  he  was  unable  to 
recover  a  cent  of  the  savings. 

That  was  a  dreadful  calamity.  In  addition  to  this 
loss  the  death  of  his  employer,  a  little  later,  threw 
Hermann  out  of  work.  He  and  the  frail  Rachael 
now  began  an  existence  such  as  the  poorest  seldom 
encounter. 

At  first  it  was  not  so  bad.  There  was  only  one 
small  mouth  to  feed.  Hermann  secured  work  that 
could  be  done  at  home  and  Rachael  helped  on  that. 
But  as  the  years  slipped  by  the  other  babies  came — 
first  Sergius  and  then  Rosie.  Still  the  mother  and 
father  dreamed  of  days  when  a  stroke  of  good  fort- 
une would  permit  them  again  to  set  aside  a  little 
money.  As  time  flew  however  such  anticipations 
were  less  often  the  subject  of  conversation. 

Then  too  there  was  the  cough.  At  first  Hermann 
put  it  out  of  his  thoughts.  It  would  pass.  Hundreds 
of  his  people  working  in  the  factories,  sweat-shops 
and  tailoring  establishments  were  similarly  afflicted. 
Every  man  coughed  in  the  place  where  he  had  worked 
so  long.  Then  he  noticed  that  Rachael  had  acquired 
the  habit  of  interrupting  the  silences  with  a  dry, 

135 


THE    O  STRICH 

irritated  hack.  Fear  seized  him  but  he  made  no 
comment.  Only  when  he  discovered  that  each  one 
of  the  babies,  as  it  began  to  grow  up,  had  the  same 
affection,  was  hope  extinguished  like  the  flame  of 
a  snuffed  out  candle. 

Even  the  advent  of  Peter  and  his  kindnesses  into 
Hermann's  life,  and  the  subsequent  transference  of 
the  family  to  a  farm  in  the  country  kindled  no  illu- 
sions in  the  father's  heart.  For  Rosie's  sake  he 
wished  to  live.  It  terrified  him  to  think  of  what 
might  happen  to  her  if  he  were  gone.  Now  that  the 
terrors  of  starvation  no  longer  stifled  all  other  reflec- 
tions, the  helpless  child  was  constantly  in  his  thoughts. 
They  had  grown  so  close  together  since  the  day  when 
they  were  freed  from  city  slavery  and  left  to  them- 
selves in  their  new  home! 

He  never  ceased  to  thank  God  for  that  home.  It 
was  a  pleasant  place  to  live  in — with  its  garden  patch, 
a  little  flock  of  barnyard  fowl,  the  rose-bush  climbing 
over  the  porch  and  a  sheltering  hedge  in  front.  He 
would  gladly  have  helped  Felix  plant  and  weed  and 
hoe  and  carry  water  for  the  vegetables  and  the 
flowers  but  he  coughed  so  when  he  undertook  exer- 
tions like  that.  Twice  after  such  attempts,  when  he 
wiped  his  mouth  his  hand  came  away  red. 

Though  he  grew  weaker  every  day  he  perceived 
that  Felix,  kept  continually  out  of  doors  by  his  boyish 
zeal  to  make  their  garden  pay,  became  brown-skinned 
and  sturdier.     Sergius,  always  the  silent  member  of 

136 


"THE     HOUR    WILL     COME"  — 

the  family,  changed  less  perceptibly;  indeed  Hermann 
felt  with  a  shudder  that  this  wonderful,  health- 
restoring  life  had  come  too  late  for  the  younger  boy, 
and  for  the  mother  as  well.  • 

Rachael  was  heroic.  Her  patient  endurance  of 
terrible  odds  against  poverty  for  so  many  years  had 
taught  him  a  deep  reverence  for  her.  However  God 
decreed,  he  knew  that  she  would  go  on  to  the 
end  maintaining  the  same  uncomplaining,  cheer- 
ful and  courageous  front  towards  himself  and  the 
children. 

When  he  was  able  to  get  out  of  doors  Rosie  always 
went  with  him,  clinging  to  his  hands,  her  lips  ever 
questioning  him  of  the  sunlight  on  the  flowers,  the 
brook-riven  meadow  below  the  house  and  all  the 
living  things  of  this  beautiful  country  that  she  so 
acutely  sensed  but  could  not  see.  In  the  intervals 
between  his  terrible  paroxysms  of  coughing,  his  heart 
contracted  so  often  at  the  thought  of  her  pathetic 
blindness!  His  yearning  to  help  take  the  place  of 
that  irretrievably  spoiled  eyesight  was  his  one  long- 
ing for  life.  He  blamed  himself.  Why  had  he  per- 
mitted her,  his  baby,  the  gentlest  flower  of  his  and 
Rachael's  heart,  to  suft'er  this  frightful  affliction! 

The  constant  burden  of  such  reflection  served  to 
shorten  the  span  of  his  days.  The  morning  after 
Peter's  arrival  in  New  York  a  telegram  reached  him 
announcing  that  the  elder  Romwitz  was  dying. 

^Xome  quickly,  if  you  wish  to  see  him,"  was  Dr. 

137 


THE     OSTRICH 

Randall's  message.  Instantly  Peter  hastened  to  the 
railway  station. 

An  hour's  ride  and  a  brief  walk  brought  him  to  the 
farm  and  the  bedside  of  the  invalid.  He  was  shocked 
at  the  sight  of  the  wasted  form  and  hollow  cheeks. 
Rachael,  the  mother,  grief-stricken  and  herself  greatly 
emaciated,  sat  by  the  bedside,  her  feeble  hands 
smoothing  the  bedclothes  or  caressing  the  curls  of 
the  blind  child  who  stood  sobbing  close  to  the  dying 
man.  Felix,  with  tear-dimmed  eyes,  but  pitifully 
smiling,  came  first  to  greet  him;  the  younger  brother 
followed  hesitatingly. 

A  shadowy  smile  crossed  Hermann's  lips  as  he 
caught  sight  of  Peter. 

''You're  kind  to  come,  sir.  God  will  repay  you." 
Then  he  went  on: 

"Let  me  kiss  them  all  before  I  go."  The  racking 
cough  had  mercifully  fled.  His  burning  eyes  beck- 
oned Felix: 

"Little  boy,  little  boy,  you  will  take  papa's  place! 
Be  brave.  Take  care  of  Mama  and  Rosie  and  Sergius." 
Felix  held  his  lower  lip  tightly  between  his  teeth. 

The  feeble  voice  failed  for  a  moment.     Then — 

"Kiss  papa,  Rosie!  He's  going  away — but  he  will 
wait  until  you  come — there  are  beautiful  things 
there;  you  shall  see  them!  you  shall  see  them! 
Sergius — Rachael — "  tears  streamed  down  the 
woman's  face  as  she  silently  leaned  closer  to  catch 
his  words: 

138 


"THE     HOUR     WILL     COME"  — 

"Beloved,  thank  God— for  you!  His  love  and 
yours  were  worth  all." 

Sergius  burst  into  bitter  sobbing.  Rosie,  fright- 
ened at  the  spectre  of  death,  caught  at  her  mother's 
arm  with  trembling  hands.  The  brave  mother,  with 
an  arm  sheltering  the  helpless  girl,  gently  clasped 
the  dying  man's  fingers  in  her  own. 

*'I  shall  come,"  she  whispered  softly. 

''And  Rosie?"  only  the  mother's  ear  caught  the 
words. 

"  God  will  protect  her,"  she  responded. 

Hermann's  eyes  flickered.  The  lids  drooped  and 
were  still. 

Suddenly  Rachael  released  the  inert  fingers,  and 
folding  the  two  boys  and  the  girl  closely  in  her  arms, 
mingled  her  quiet  sobbing  with  that  of  the  children. 
Reverentially,  Peter  and  Dr.  Randall  withdrew  and 
closed  the  door. 

Two  days  later,  when  Rachael  led  her  children 
home  from  the  peaceful  village  cemetery,  the  grief- 
stricken  woman  was  met  at  the  door  by  Mrs.  Josephine 
Thatcher,  a  white-haired,  sweet-faced,  elderly  woman 
to  whom  Peter  had  related  the  story  of  the  family's 
hardships.  From  the  moment  this  motherly  soul 
looked  into  the  saddened,  tired  eyes  of  Rachael  and 
felt  Rosie's  soft  girlish  hands  inquiringly  pressing 
her  own.  Aunt  Joe,  as  she  was  universally  known, 
lost  her  heart. 

''The  poor  dears,"  she  told  herself  as  she  closed  the 

139 


THE     O  STRICH 

front  gate  and  hurried  down  the  street  to  her  home 
after  having  wept  with  Rachael,  praised  Felix  and 
petted  the  younger  boy  and  bhnd  Rosie,  *'the  Lord 
surely  has  afiflicted  them  beyond  understanding. 
Brave  little  woman!  how  dreadfully  she  coughs! 
and  such  a  sweet  little  blind  innocent!"  Aunt 
Joe's  kindness  shone  principally  in  deeds,  but  some- 
times when  she  was  alone  its  expression  overflowed 
in  gentle  soliloquies.  From  the  day  when  that  first 
little  mound  was  heaped  up  in  the  graveyard  she 
became  an  angel  of  comfort  to  the  feeble  mother  and 
the  fatherless  children. 

Two  months  later  when  Rachael  Romwitz  lay  on 
the  same  bed  where  the  father  had  whispered  farewell, 
and  in  her  turn  bade  the  three  little  ones  good-bye, 
it  was  into  the  arms  of  gentle,  weeping  Aunt  Joe 
that  little  Rosie  flung  herself  in  shrinking  fear  for 
her  mama.  It  was  Aunt  Joe  too  who  kept  Sergius 
from  throwing  himself  wildly  upon  the  bed,  comfort- 
ing the  little  ones  with  her  soothing  words,  bringing 
a  last  smile  to  the  lips  of  the  dying  woman. 

Peter,  as  well  as  Dr.  Randall,  was  there  again,  and 
after  Aunt  Joe  had  brought  them  all  back  from  the 
cemetery  and  had  gathered  them  under  her  wing  in 
the  brightly  hghted  sitting-room,  it  was  agreed  that 
she  should  serve  jointly  with  Felix  in  looking  after 
the  two  youngest  ones. 

During  the  succeeding  months  before  Sergius  died, 
Rosie  Romwitz  and  Aunt  Joe  became  such  friends 

140 


"THE    HOUR    WILL    COME"  — 

that  the  gentle  little  child  made  the  foster-mother 
her  confidant  in  every  tribulation  of  her  shut-in  life. 

"You  see,  Auntie, '*  she  would  say,  "even  now  I 
don't  remember  quite  how  dear  papa  looked  before— 
I  was  blind.  Isn't  it  worse  than  all  else,  to  lose 
eyes?  I  wanted  to  see  awfully — oh  more  'n  I  can 
ever  make  even  you,  dear  Auntie,  understand! 
Before  mama  went  away  I  wanted  to  see  her — I 
wanted  to  see  her  so!  But  now  somehow  I  don't 
mind  so  much.  Is  Sergius  going  to  die  too.  Auntie? 
Will  I  die?" 

"There,  there,  Rosie!"  Aunt  Joe  would  reply, 
a  lump  rising  in  her  throat,  "you  mustn't  talk  of  such 
things.  We're  going  to  be  happy  and  pray  that  we 
all  may  be  well  and  strong." 

"You  are  so  good  and  kind,  Auntie — just  like 
mama — that  I  have  to  do  what  you  tell  me;  but 
Sergius  does  cough  worse  'n  papa  did;  and  he's  only 
a  little  boy.  He  didn't  get  out  of  bed  once,  yester- 
day; and  I  heard  him  praying  to  go  to  mama." 

Aunt  Joe,  at  this  remark,  turned  her  head  aside 
to  wipe  her  eyes  with  a  corner  of  her  apron: 

"Jesus  will  take  care  of  Sergius,  dear." 

The  blind  child  slipped  a  slender  arm  around  the 
other's  neck: 

"I  don't  know  Jesus  very  well  yet,  Auntie,  but 
if  you  say  he  will  take  care  of  mama  and  papa  and 
Sergius  and  us  all,  I  know  it  must  be  true." 

Only  a  week  after  this  conversation,  Peter  came 

141 


THE     OSTRICH 

down  from  New  York  again  to  attend  the  funeral  of 
the  quiet,  little  boy  who  suffered  in  silence  until  the 
very  last,  uncomplainingly  giving  up  at  the  end  and 
bravely  bidding  adieu  to  Felix,  Aunt  Joe  and  little 
Rosie  with  heart-breaking  cheerfulness. 

^'I  don't  like  coughing;  it  hurts  too  much,"  he 
whispered  to  his  foster-mother.  *'I'm  going  to  papa 
and  mama.  No  one  coughs  where  they  are — do  you 
think  so?"  and  the  sobbing  woman  gently  assured 
him  that  there  were  no  ills  or  coughs  in  that  far-away, 
sweet  Heaven  for  little  ones  like  Sergius. 

From  the  beginning.  Dr.  Randall  had  despaired  of 
the  mother,  father  and  little  boy.  While  he  had  done 
everything  in  his  power  to  soothe  and  make  easy  the 
months  left  to  each  of  them,  Rosie  had  continued  the 
person  of  greatest  professional  interest  because  of  the 
possibility  that  in  her  the  disease  might  be  conquered. 
Felix  was  now  out  of  danger,  and  after  Sergius  died 
the  little  house  was  thoroughly  renovated  and 
cleansed  and  every  resource  that  medical  ingenuity 
could  devise  was  adopted  to  save  the  blind  child.  In- 
stead of  spending  only  a  part  of  her  time  with  Felix 
and  the  blind  sister.  Aunt  Joe  closed  up  her  home 
and  came  to  live  permanently  with  them. 

From  this  big-hearted  woman,  Rosie  learned  many 
things.  She  listened  to  Aunt  Joe's  childhood  stories; 
she  spent  hours  with  her  in  the  woods  and  fields  learn- 
ing about  the  birds  and  animals  and  such  beautiful 
and  sentient  things  out  of  doors  as  Aunt  Joe  knew 

142 


"THE     HOUR    WILL     COME"— 

how  to  make  interesting  to  youthful  imaginations. 
During  the  evenings  Felix  read  to  her— for  he  was 
now  studying  under  the  tutelage  of  Aunt  Joe  and 
Peter,  who  frequently  came  down  to  visit  his  little 
charges— and  Aunt  Joe  told  them  both  many  in- 
teresting tales. 

Until  the  close  of  a  long  summer  of  careful  attend- 
ance, Dr.  Randall  was  hopeful  that  Rosie's  lungs 
might  get  well  again.  But  at  last  he  gave  up. 
The  httle  girl  began  to  fade,  Felix  said,  just  as  the 
wild  flowers  outside  the  hedge  in  front  of  the  house 
faded.  She  coughed  only  a  little,  but  each  day  her 
lassitude  of  body  increased. 

Aunt  Joe,  with  breaking  heart,  fought  against  the 
alarming  symptoms. 

"Shall  we  go  down  to  the  river  and  listen  to  the 
skylark,  this  afternoon?"   she  would  ask. 

"Auntie  dear,  I  want  to,  oh,  so  bad;  but  I  just  am 
too  weak;  I  feel  like  I  was  all  worn  out.  My  body 
doesn't  want  what  I  want.  Besides,  Auntie  dear, 
sometimes  I'm  tired  of  the  dark.  Why  couldn't  I 
have  been  let  to  see,  like  Felix,  Auntie?" 

"Perhaps  you  will  see,  some  day,  Rosie,"  Aunt 

Joe  repHed  to  this,  seeking  to  divert  the  child's  mind. 

"No,  Aunt  Joe,"  the  little  one  responded,  ''you 

oughtn't  to  say  that.     Your  voice  says  it  only— your 

heart  knows  it  isn't  true." 

"But,   darling,   many  people   who   don't   see   are 
happy.     You  can  be  happy,  too." 

143 


THE     O  STRICH 

''  'Most  always  I'm  too  tired  now,  Auntie.  I  think 
of  papa  and  mama  and  Sergius  and  it  makes  me  feel 
as  if  I  must  hurry  and  go  to  them." 

"Hush,  Rosie!  You  must  stay  and  be  a  good  sister 
to  Felix  who  needs  you.  Felix  is  going  to  be  a  fine 
farmer  one  of  these  days  and  he  wdll  want  Rosie, 
very  much." 

"He  will  be  married,  some  day,  just  like  papa  and 
mama  were,  won't  he?"  the  Uttle  one  answered. 
Such  precociousness  amazed  Aunt  Joe. 

All  through  the  winter  blind  Rosie  kept  up,  going 
out  for  a  sled  ride  with  Felix,  sometimes,  but  more 
often  too  weak  to  move  out  of  the  house.  Just  as 
the  rose  -  vine  clambering  over  the  porch  lattice 
began  to  shoot  forth  soft  tendrils,  the  end  approached. 
Aunt  Joe  with  tearful  misgivings  had  for  some  days 
been  obliged  to  hold  the  frail  little  atom  in  her  arms 
whenever  Rosie  wished  to  be  near  the  window  to 
feel  the  out-of-doors.  Dr.  Randall's  visits  became 
more  frequent.     One  day  the  child  called  to  Aunt  Joe: 

"Auntie  dear,  come  here!"  The  heart  of  the  other 
throbbed  violently  at  the  solemnity  of  the  child's 
request. 

"What  is  it,  darling?"  she  asked. 

"I'm  going  away — to  dear  mama  and  papa  and 
Sergius." 

"No,  no,  child!" 

"Yes,  Auntie!  good,  dear  Auntie!  I'm  going  soon, 
too.    I'm  not  afraid.    I  want  to  go  because  I'm  tired 

144 


"THE    HOUR    WILL    COME"  — 

of  having  to  stay  here  in  the  darkness — I'm  tired — 
and  I  wonder  too,  Auntie;  tell  me,  why  did  papa 
and  mama  and  Sergius  and  all  of  us  have  the 
dreadful  cough?  and  why  were  we  so  poor  in  the 
big  city?'' 

"Many  people  are  poor,  little  girl — many,  many 
people.    We  can't  help  that." 

"But  why,  why?"  insisted  the  childish  voice. 
"Lots  of  other  people  aren't  poor.  You,  Aunt  Joe, 
never  knew  what  it  was  to  be  poor  like  us  and  have 
a  dreadful  cough." 

"It's  because  men  don't  live  quite  as  they  ought 
to,  dear.  I  couldn't  make  you  understand  about 
that.  I'm  not  sure  that  I  understand  it  myself. 
But  I  know  it  wouldn't  be  so  if  everyone  did  what 
Jesus  commanded  when  he  lived  on  earth.  He  said, 
'Do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  others  do  unto 
you.'  Men  don't  obey  that.  I  guess  it's  because 
others  were  disobedient  that  your  papa  was  so  poor 
and  went  away  to  Heaven." 

"If  everybody  did  what  Jesus  said,  would  every- 
body be  well,  and  not  poor  and  sick?" 

"That  would  help  very  much  toward  it,  dear." 
The  little  head  lay  back  on  the  pillow,  motionless  for 
a  minute.     Then — 

"Auntie  Joe,  if  I  did  what  Jesus  said  was  right,  do 
you  suppose  he  would  take  care  of  me  when — when 
I  go  to  find  papa  and  mama?" 

The  woman's  lips  quivered: 

145 


THE    OSTRICH 

"Jesus  can  do  all  things,"  she  answered.  "He  will 
care  for  you  now  and  always." 

After  the  faint  but  steady  breathing  of  the  pallid 
nostrils  betrayed  that  the  little  one  had  fallen  asleep, 
the  tender-hearted  woman  slipped  out,  crying  softly, 
and  despatched  messages  to  the  physician  and  to 
Peter,  while  Felix  was  ordered  to  keep  within  calling 
distance. 

At  sunset,  the  little  head  nestling  among  the  blond 
curls  moved  again. 

"Aunt  Joe  1  Aunt  Joe ! "  The  woman  came  quickly 
and  kneeled  down  beside  the  bed. 

"What  is  it,  my  precious?" 

"Where  is  Jesus,  now?" 

"In  Heaven,  dear." 

"Did  he  live  here  once?" 

"Yes,  child." 

"Tell  me  about  him  when  he  was  here?" 

"He  went  about  among  people  doing  good.  He 
touched  the  sick  on  their  heads  and  hands  and 
they  became  well.  He  cured  the  lame  and  the  blind 
and—" 

"The  blind.  Auntie— the  blind,  like  me?"  A 
childish  eagerness  thrilled  through  the  weak  voice. 

"Yes,  Rosie." 

"And  he  will  cure  me  in  Heaven  so  I  can  see  papa 
and  mama  and  Sergius  there?  Oh,  Auntie,  tell  me, 
tell  me,  will  he  do  that?" 

"In  Heaven,  Rosie,  you  will  see  again  just  as  you 

146 


"THE     HOUR     WILL     COME'»  — 

once  did.  There  will  be  no  darkness  for  you  there. 
Jesus  will  kiss  your  poor  eyes  and  the  light  will  shine 
through." 

''Oh,  Aunt  Joe!  Oh,  Aunt  Joe!''  Weakness 
could  not  quite  hide  the  ecstasy  of  her  childish  joy. 
Then  sleep  again  enfolded  the  strength  of  spirit 
within  the  frail  body. 

When  Rosie  wakened  again,  Felix  and  Aunt  Joe 
were  together  beside  her,  while  the  doctor  and  Peter 
stood  a  few  feet  away.  Her  mind  sensed  the  latter 
two  first. 

''Uncle  Peter,"  she  said  plaintively— even  then 
the  divine  motherhood  of  the  woman-child  shining 
out  in  her— ''you'll  take  care  of  Felix?" 

"Yes,  Rosie,  I'll  take  care  of  Felix."  She  waited 
a  minute,  groping  for  strength. 

"Aunt  Joe,  mama  came  just  now— I  felt  her 
in  my  sleep.  Kiss  me  dear,  dear  Auntie!  I'm 
going  to  them  and— and  to  Jesus."  One  wasted 
arm  crept  slowly  around  the  sobbing  woman's 
neck. 

"Felix,  brother,  shall  I  remember  you  to  them— to 
Jesus  and  mama  and  papa— and— Sergius— give 
them— your— love?"  The  manly  little  boy  lay  with 
his  head  buried  in  the  bedclothes,  his  body  shak- 
ing with  grief. 

"Oh,  Aunt,  I  see—"  an  instant's  silence  ensued, 
broken  only  by  the  quiet  weeping  of  Mrs.  Thatcher— 
"Aunt   Joe— Jesus    is    coming— I— feel    him— he   is 

147 


THE     O  STRICH 

going  to  kiss  my  eyes — oh,  the  light — the  beautiful, 
beautiful  light — I  see;  I  see — papa!  mama!" 

Suddenly  a  hush  fell  upon  all.  Then  broken  sobs 
burst  from  the  woman's  lips.  Felix  wept  silently, 
a  hand  resting  tenderly  upon  one  cheek  of  the  now 
inert  little  face.  Even  Dr.  Randall  shook  with 
emotion. 

"It  is  his  will,  Felix."  Aunt  Joe's  voice  found 
itself  at  last  in  seeking  to  comfort  the  bereaved 
brother. 

"Perhaps,"  he  responded  slowly — a  little  bitterly, 
"but  how  about  them  that  took  'em  all  from  me 
like  this?" 

It  was  the  implication  in  that  crude  reply  that 
returned  again  and  again  to  Peter's  mind  during  the 
later  services  over  Rosie's  body,  and  it  still  rankled 
in  his  thoughts  when,  as  the  sun  began  to  fade  behind 
the  distant  hills,  with  his  arm  about  the  boy's  shoul- 
der, he  gently  drew  the  broken-hearted,  lonely  youth 
away  from  the  grave  newly  made  beside  the  other 
three  in  the  cemetery. 

"Father,  mother,  brother,  sister — all  dead  as  the 
price  of  the  selfish,  wanton  hcartlessness  of  covet- 
ous men  willing  for  gain  to  wring  from  humanity 
its  very  heart's  blood!"  Peter  reproached  himself 
for  his  own  too  small  part  in  the  work  to  help 
right  such  wrongs. 

As  they  entered  the  empty  house,  his  heart  went 
out  to  the  silently  weeping  Felix.     Suddenly  his  own 

148 


"THE    HOUR    WILL     COME"  — 

pent-up  emotions  gave  way,  sweeping  before  them 
every  remnant  of  self  in  the  thought  of  those  help- 
less thousands  staggering  beneath  such  unequal 
burdens  as  Hermann  and  Rachael  Romwitz  had 
borne.  Then  with  startling  force  the  words  of 
Liszt's  ''Love  Dreams"  came  back  to  him: 

" — The  hour  will  come  when  you  at  graves  shall 
weep,  some  day." 

In  the  same  moment  when  he  recognized  the  ful- 
filment of  this  prophetic  line,  he  felt  again  the  mighty 
appeal  of  the  ''  Call  of  the  Ages,"  and  he  knew,  though 
it  should  mean  the  loss  of  name,  friends — even  life, 
that  he  would  follow  that  Call  to  the  end. 


149 


XI 

TRANSFERRING  A   CHARGE 

^*  A  MESSAGE  for  you,  sir." 

It  was  the  next  day  in  New  York.  Peter  sat  alone 
before  an  open  blaze  in  the  reading-room  of  his  favorite 
club  and  the  only  one  which  he  now  frequented. 
Leaving  the  boy  with  Aunt  Joe,  he  had  returned  im- 
mediately, intent  upon  at  once  arranging  for  the 
youngster's  future.  The  more  he  thought  of  that 
important  responsibility,  the  more  it  puzzled  him. 
Felix  had  reached  the  formative  period  of  character- 
building. 

Tearing  open  the  envelope  handed  him  by  the  ser- 
vant, he  read: 

''Ann  is  back  again  in  New  York.  Will  you  come 
and  dine  with  us  to-night?  You  shall  have  a  dinner 
worth  eating  and  sympathy  for  your  troubles — if 
you  have  troubles.  Telephone  if  you  cannot  come, 
but  I  shall  expect  you.     Your  devoted  Agatha." 

After  he  had  sent  the  man  away,  he  sat  for  some 
time  staring  into  the  fire,  old  memories  suddenly 
roused  by  the  mention  of  Ann's  name. 

It  had  been  nearly  four  years  since  he  had  seen  her 
for  she  had  been  playing  abroad  when  he  returned  from 

150 


TRANSFERRING    A    CHARGE 

Alaska.  The  thought  of  meeting  her  again  stirred 
his  pulses,  not  because  she  was  now  a  world-wide 
celebrity  whose  name  and  fame  and  what  the  news- 
papers called  ^'philanthropic  eccentricities"  were 
constantly  being  heralded  far  and  wide,  but  because 
he  had  come  to  feel  that  she  meant  a  great  deal  to  his 
happiness.  Her  wisdom  and  the  purity  of  her  soul 
were  endearments  far  beyond  her  musical  talents. 
He  knew  well  enough  that  desire  for  publicity  was  not 
among  the  motives  prompting  the  concerts  and  liberal 
donations  for  the  poor,  of  which  she  had  given  so 
many.  She  had  never  been  quite  out  of  his  thoughts 
during  the  long  separation. 

Of  late  Peter  had  lived  much  at  home,  reading, 
writing,  taking  notes  and  studying  social  conditions 
about  him  in  the  intervals  between  his  visits  to  the 
Romwitz  family.  The  list  of  his  social  acquaintances 
had  greatly  fallen  off.  Max  Reinhart  had  been 
away  managing  Ann's  campaign.  Professor  Sea- 
bury,  a  pitifully  broken  wreck  and  Alicia,  grown  a 
little  more  serious -faced  and  a  little  less  bantering 
but  still  brave  and  calm  and  unafraid,  were  the 
friends  he  had  gone  oftenest  to  visit.  They  were 
now  living  in  a  tiny,  four-room  tenement  in  a  rather 
humble  section  of  the  city,  but  Alicia  had  wrought 
wonders  in  this  little  home.  The  old  man  was  unable 
to  walk — in  fact  he  seldom  spoke  or  moved — and  the 
girl  guarded  him  as  tenderly  as  a  mother  would  have 
sheltered  a  child. 


'the   ostrich 

The  friendship  between  her  and  Peter  had  increased 
greatly.  They  discussed  all  subjects  save  that  of 
love,  with  the  candor  of  a  brother  and  sister.  From 
the  untiring  devotion  and  ardor  with  which  Alicia 
played  adviser,  intermediary,  nurse,  mother  and  dis- 
ciplinarian to  several  hundred  idolizing  mothers  and 
children  in  her  capacity  as  a  social  settlement  worker, 
and  between  times  ministered  to  her  father's  needs 
and  wants,  one  would  scarcely  have  believed  that  love 
ever  entered  into  her  thoughts  or  her  plans.  Yet 
Peter  noticed  how  the  pink  came  to  her  cheeks  when 
he  spoke  of  his  old  friend,  Max,  or  brought  her 
fresh  news  of  the  latter's  whereabouts. 

If  Ann  was  in  New  York,  he  suspected  that  Max 
would  also  be  there,  and  he  tried  to  picture  the  meet- 
ing in  the  little  tenement  of  his  college  chum  and  the 
brave  Alicia. 

Then  as  his  eyes  went  back  to  the  open  note  before 
him  he  felt  anew  a  thrill  of  pleasure  at  the  perusal 
of  Ann's  name. 

The  same  emotion  shone  in  his  face  a  few 
hours  later,  when  after  fondly  kissing  his  god- 
mother, he  turned  to  greet  the  beautiful  pianist  in 
the  brilliantly  lighted  dining-room  of  the  Van  Siddons 
mansion. 

Both  in  construction  and  beauty  of  furnishings  the 
latter  dwelling  was  a  wonderful  place.  Everywhere 
were  massive  and  quaintly  carved  pieces  of  furniture, 
costly   pictures   and   beautiful   tapestries   and   rugs 

152 


TRANSFERRING    A    CHARGE 

without  number  picked  up  in  every  corner  of  the 
world  by  four  successive  generations  of  ancestors. 
A  workmanship  in  cupboard,  fireplace,  panel  and 
ceiling  typifying  the  painstaking  idealism  of  a  past 
generation  was  evident  at  every  turn  and  corner. 

^' Don't  call  me  misanthrope,  if  I  admit  that  I 
came  partly  to  unburden  my  worries,"  Peter  said.  "  I 
took  you  at  your  word,  Agatha.  Your  generous  offer 
to  lend  me  a  sympathetic  ear  lured  me  here — and 
joy  at  the  thought  of  seeing  you  both  again,"  he  added. 

^'It's  well  you  included  that,"  she  replied.  But 
Peter  refused  to  be  decoyed  into  badinage.  When 
they  were  seated  at  dinner,  he  said : 

"I've  a  protege  with  whom  I  don't  know  what 
to  do." 

Both  women  leaned  forward  at  once  interested. 

"It's  a  long  story,"  he  continued. 

"You've  piqued  our  curiosity.  Tell  us  all  at 
once,"  ordered  his  godmother. 

"Felix  is  only  a  youngster  now,  but  he's  growing 
up  rapidly.  He's  known  great  hardships  and  sor- 
rows. His  father,  mother,  sister  and  brother  have 
died.  He's  all  alone."  Then  Peter  launched  into 
the  life  recital  of  Felix  and  the  rest  of  the  Romwitz 
family. 

"The  boy  must  grow  up  with  right  principles,"  he 
finally  proceeded.  "I  want  him  to  understand  just 
how  it  happened  that  those  he  loved  were  neglected 
and  crushed.     I  mean  for  him  to  acquire  a  thorough 

153 


THE     OSTRICH 

understanding  of  the  many  evils  of  injustice.  He's 
a  responsibility  that  puzzles  me." 

*'Send  him  to  school  here  in  New  York.  He 
needs  an  education  first,"  suggested  Mrs.  Van 
Siddons. 

Peter  shook  his  head.  ^*I  want  him  to  begin  right. 
He  sha'n't  be  hampered  and  coerced  by  the  sort  of 
educational  routine  that  the  average  child  of  to-day 
has  to  endure." 

^'You  wouldn't  try  to  bring  him  up  yourself, 
Peter?  It  might  prove  more  than  you  bargained 
for,"  said  the  godmother. 

Hitherto  Ann  had  sat  a  silent  listener.  Once 
during  the  period  of  his  long  recital  Peter  had  seen 
a  tear  steal  down  her  cheek.  Now  she  leaned  for- 
ward and  spoke  earnestly: 

^'I'll  take  the  boy  and  rear  him  just  as  you  want 
him  educated.  Ever  since  I've  been  away  I've  been 
making  money — oh,  more  money  than  I  ever  dreamed 
of  being  able  to  make  and  much  more  than  I  need. 
There's  enough  for  Felix  and  me  and  for  the  expense 
of  the  opportunity  which  you  and  I  will  give  him. 
I'm  sure  I  understand  what  you  wish  for  him.  You 
want  him  to  have  what  boys  of  his  class  almost 
never  have — an  unbiased  conscience;  and  you  want 
him  to  be  trained  from  the  very  beginning,  that  he 
may  always  know  how  to  choose  and  make  decisions 
unprejudiced  by  false  ideas.     Isn't  that  it?" 

Peter's  eyes  sparkled. 

154 


TRANSFERRING    A    CHARGE 

"How  well  you  understand,"  he  said. ' 

"What  idealists  you  two  are  becoming!"  exclaimed 
Mrs.  Van  Siddons. 

"You're  wrong,  we're  realists,  dear  Agatha,"  said 
Peter.  "The  ideals  of  yesterday  have  become  reali- 
ties. The  world  moves  along  a  notch  every  day. 
The  moral  level,  as  well  as  custom  and  the  ambi- 
tions of  men,  is  as  unstable  as  the  fashions  in  clothes; 
but  the  motive  tendency  is  upward.  We  are  growing 
constructive.  A  part  of  mankind  is  already  realizing 
ethical  aims  that  once  seemed  chimerical  and  Uto- 
pian. The  other  and  larger  part  will  reach  them 
too  some  day." 

He  turned  to  the  girl. 

"What  have  you  in  mind  for  the  boy?"  he  asked. 

"There's  a  school,  here  in  New  York  where  we 
will  start  him,"  she  said.  "Max  drove  me  there 
once.  It's  a  private  school  but  it  seems  to  me  to  be 
based  upon  ideal  principles.  The  system  is  much 
like  a  physician  speciaKst's  method  of  treatment. 
Each  child  is  regarded  as  an  individual  case.  Tem- 
perament, physical  endowment  and  inherited  traits 
and  inclinations  are  all  carefully  considered  in  the 
training  process.  The  pupils  are  encouraged  to  pursue 
the  studies  which  each  seems  most  to  enjoy.  Coer- 
cive lessons  are  not  in  the  curriculum.  I  have  not 
seen  anywhere  among  children  such  spontaneity  of 
effort,  and  such  true  pleasure  in  studying,  as  I  saw 
there.     It  was  perfect." 

155 


THE     O  STRICH 

"It  sounds  excellent.  We'll  take  him  there,"  ac- 
quiesced Peter. 

^'To-morrow?"  she  asked. 

He  nodded.  *'The  sooner,  the  better.  I'll  notify 
Aunt  Joe.  It  will  wring  her  heart  to  part  with 
Felix,  but  she  will  make  any  sacrifice  for  his  good." 

They  had  left  the  table  and  were  gathered  about 
a  driftwood  blaze  in  the  great  drawing-room,  the 
two  women  seated  and  Peter  standing,  when  sud- 
denly hurrying  steps  sounded  in  the  entrance  hall 
and  AHcia  Seabury,  with  Max  Reinhart  just  a  step 
in  the  rear,  appeared  in  the  doorway.  Mrs.  Van 
Siddons  and  Ann  had  risen  to  greet  the  unannounced 
pair  when  something  alight  in  the  faces  of  both 
caused  a  silence  to  fall  upon  all.  Then  Max  wearing 
the  triumphant  expression  of  a  lover  slipped  the 
hand  of  the  now  crimson -cheeked  Alicia  beneath  his 
arm  and  with  a  low  and  formal  bow  proclaimed  with 
twinkling  eyes: 

*'As  betrothed  we  are  come  to  receive  your  felici- 
tations, dear  friends.     Wish  us  great  joy — " 

His  further  words  were  lost  amid  surprised  excla- 
mations and  in  the  rush  of  the  two  women  and 
Peter  who  pounced  upon  the  lovers  and  thrust 
them  down,  side  by  side,  on  the  silk-cushioned  settle 
by  the  fire. 

For  half  an  hour  thereafter  the  voluble  lover's 
recital  of  the  romance  which  the  three  friends  in- 
sisted upon  hearing  from  beginning  to  end  usurped 

156 


TRANSFERRING    A    CHARGE 

all  other  conversation.  Max  made  no  pretence  of 
restraining  his  joy,  while  the  radiance  of  a  supreme 
bliss  shone  in  AUcia's  eyes.  The  wedding  day  had 
been  fixed  to  take  place  in  the  succeeding  month  when 
the  couple  were  to  remove  at  once  with  the  invalid 
father  to  more  spacious  and  comfortable  quarters. 

^'However,"  finally  asserted  the  girl  with  a  soft 
glance  at  her  lover,  ''I'm  going  right  on  with  my 
work  among  the  poor  mothers  and  children.  They 
need  me.  I  couldn't  give  them  up — even — for  any- 
thing—  though  of  course  Max  wouldn't  have  me  do 
that  either." 

That  night  after  Peter  reached  home  he  betook 
liimself  to  his  study  and  sought  to  immerse  himself 
in  work.  But  his  mind  refused  to  concentrate  on  the 
lines  of  his  book. 

The  memory  of  Alicia's  warm  and  smiling  face 
and  Max's  unalloyed  ecstasy  quickened  old  emotions 
in  his  heart.  He  remembered  Ann's  serene  and 
undisturbed  smile  as  she  listened  to  the  flow  of  lover's 
raptures  from  the  lips  of  Max.  It  vexed  him  to 
think  that  she  had  not  betrayed  a  trace  of  self-con- 
sciousness. He  recalled  too  that  he  had  not  had 
a  single  opportunity  to  be  alone  with  her  that  even- 
ing. He  wondered  if  that  had  been  an  accident, 
or  if  his  godmother  or  the  girl  herself  had  prear- 
ranged it.  It  pained  him  to  think  of  going  away 
from  her.  She  was  an  inspiration.  His  reunion  with 
her  had  roused  anew  the  longing  to  be  near  her  and 

157 


THE     O  STRICH 

to  have  her  for  an  intimate  friend  and  companion 
again.  Her  seeming  aloofness  increased  this  ardor. 
A  thousand  tender  thoughts  filled  his  mind  concern- 
ing her.  He  wondered  if  he  would  ever  be  able  to 
inspire  in  her  a  soft  passion  like  that  which  had  lighted 
Alicia's  face  when  Max  stepped  forth  and  proclaimed 
his  love. 

Distracted,  he  rose  and  strode  back  and  forth  across 
his  study.  In  his  peregrinations  his  coat  brushed 
from  the  table  an  unopened  package  which  evidently 
had  come  by  mail  that  afternoon.  Stooping  to 
recover  it,  his  curiosity  was  roused  by  the  foreign 
postage-stamps  on  the  wrapper  and  he  hastily  tore 
it  open.  It  proved  to  be  a  consular  report  from 
Uruguay,  one  of  the  South  American  republics  and 
he  idly  wondered  who  had  sent  it  as  he  began  to 
turn  the  leaves.  Suddenly  his  attention  was  drawn 
to  an  introductory  passage  printed  in  full-face  at 
the  top  of  a  page. 

**In  this  district  the  ostrich  is  found  in  great  num- 
bers," he  read.  ''The  feathers  are  a  source  of  constant 
income  and  the  eggs  form  one  of  the  chief  staples  of 
food  for  the  country  people." 

The  paragraph  roused  a  new  train  of  thought. 
Since  that  fateful  evening  in  Jerusalem,  it  had  come 
to  be  a  conviction  with  him  that  the  ostrich  in  some 
way  was  to  help  solve  the  great  problem  of  poverty. 

According  to  this  authority,  here  was  a  country 
abounding  in  ostriches  that  could  be  studied  and 

158 


TRANSFERRING    A    CHARGE 

probably  brought  back  to  his  own  land  if  he  wished 
to  bring  them. 

Since  his  return  from  the  far  North  he  had  been 
storing  up  such  knowledge  as  would  be  likely  to  help 
him  most  in  further  travels.  Only  his  wish  to  make 
the  last  days  of  the  different  members  of  the  Romwitz 
family  as  happy  as  possible  had  kept  him  in  New 
York  for  so  long.  Now  that  Ann  had  promised  to 
oversee  the  education  of  Felix,  he  was  free  once  more. 
He  found  an  evening  paper  and  looked  up  the 
steamer  sailings  south.  Afterwards,  resuming  his 
seat,  he  picked  up  his  pen  and  began  writing.  It 
was  almost  two  hours  before  he  stopped.  Then  he 
folded  a  dozen  or  more  closely  written  sheets  of  pa- 
per, sealed  them  in  an  envelope  and  addressed  the 
letter  to  Ann. 

The  following  afternoon  at  the  moment  when  Mrs. 
Van  Siddons  placed  this  letter  in  the  girl's  hands, 
Peter  was  leaning  over  the  rail  of  a  coastwise  steamer 
watching  New  York  Harbor  slowly  drop  behind. 


159 


XII 

ON  THE  WRONG  TRACK 

"  I  SHALL  not  see  you  again  for  a  long  time — perhaps 
for  years.  But  what  difference  can  that  make  to 
you  or  to  me,  if  our  friendship  has  grown  deep  enough 
and  broad  enough  to  be  real?  Neither  time  nor  dis- 
tance can  separate  us  then. 

**You  will  no  doubt  be  surprised  at  my  sudden 
departure,  but  I  owe  to  you  much  of  my  eagerness 
to  be  off.  I  have  been  restless  to  go  for  a  long  time. 
Only  the  sufferings  of  the  members  of  that  poor  family 
whom  I  learned  to  love  kept  me  here.  Now  they 
are  all  gone,  save  Felix,  and  you  are  to  become  his 
mentor.  I  could  not  leave  him  in  better  hands.  He 
promises  to  grow  up  a  splendid,  fine  specimen  of  a 
youth  and  under  your  tutelage  he  cannot  fail  to 
fuiiil  that  promise. 

*'I  am  going  to  South  America.  I  have  learned 
by  chance,  to-night,  that  ostriches  are  found  there. 
You  and  the  old  sheik  near  Alexandria  have  con- 
vinced me  that  I  must  study  this  bird  closely.  If  I 
should  find  ostriches  in  South  America,  it  might 
save  me  a  trip  to  more  distant  parts  of  the  world, 
and    thus    I    may   arrive   the   sooner   at   the  great 

i6o 


ON    THE    WRONG    TRACK 

truths  that  we  both  so  eagerly  long  to  see  laid  before 
mankind. 

^'I  shall  never  give  up  the  work  that  I  have  under- 
taken. 

^'Because  I  feared  that  to  see  you  again  would  cause 
me  to  waver — even  put  off  my  journey  altogether^ 
I  am  writing  you  my  good-bye.  I  shall  not  return 
imtil  I  succeed  in  my  aims,  but  I  want  to  tell  you, 
if  you  do  not  already  know,  that  whatever  I  accom- 
plish I  always  shall  owe  a  debt  to  the  influence  of 
your  spirit  and  your  mind." 

Ann  sat  for  a  long  time  in  silence  when  she  had 

finished  reading  the  letter. 

********** 

It  was  a  perfect  day  in  the  tropics,  mild  and  balmy 
and  with  a  gentle  breeze  blowing  from  the  uplands 
when  Peter,  sitting  astride  a  mule,  rode  past  the  last 
of  the  thatched  huts  that  marked  the  boundary 
line  of  Piedmos,  a  tiny  BraziUan  village,  and  gazed 
along  the  level  highway  stretching  ahead. 

He  was  entering  the  promised  ostrich  country  where 
he  had  high  hopes  of  obtaining  a  flock  of  the  birds  to 
take  back  with  him  to  the  states. 

After  three  months  of  travel,  partly  by  train  and 
partly  by  muleback  among  the  natives  and  Latin- 
Americans  he  had  begun  to  experience  a  sense  of 
congeniahty  with  his  tropical  surroundings. 

He  had  come  by  way  of  Barbados,  first  to  Para  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Amazon.     Besides  Bahia,  Victoria, 

i6i 


THE     O  STRICH 

San  Salvador  and  Rio  Janeiro,  he  had  visited  many 
lesser  cities  and  towns,  progressing  from  place  to 
place  by  slow  stages  and  observing  carefully  both  the 
peoples  and  the  industrial  conditions  as  he  went. 

On  every  hand  he  had  found  surprises. 

Being  a  geologist  and  well  versed  in  botany  and 
mineralogy,  it  had  not  taken  him  long  to  realize  the 
marvellous  richness  of  the  forests  and  mines  of  Brazil. 
He  learned  from  personal  observations  that  the 
country  held  inestimable  resources  of  precious  woods 
and  other  forest  products  of  great  value,  and  he  soon 
discovered  that  these  sources  of  wealth  as  yet  had 
hardly  been  touched.  Besides  there  were  the  illimita- 
ble Brazilian  plains  stretching  for  hundreds  of  miles 
in  every  direction,  that  afforded  pasturage  for  count- 
less thousands  of  sheep  and  cattle. 

During  his  trip  down  the  coast  he  had  been  the 
guest  of  coffee  planters,  rubber  growers  and  lumber 
and  mining  magnates  whose  wealth  had  grown  in  a 
few  years  from  practically  nothing  to  millions.  He 
also  observed  the  thousands  of  shiftless,  half-caste 
peoples  who  had  to  be  driven  to  perform  the  labor  of 
the  country.  The  rich  land  owners  and  these  peons 
were  a  contrasting  object-lesson  in  the  superiority 
of  personal  initiative  and  intelligent  effort  over 
laziness  and  lack  of  thought. 

Lea\dng  the  village  behind,  he  had  ridden  for  more 
than  a  mile  along  a  dusty  road  fringed  with  palms 
and    other    tropical    trees  that    grew  thinner  as  he 

162 


ON     THE     WRONG     TRACK 

advanced,  when  all  at  once  there  burst  into  view  a 
low-lying,  hacienda  residence,  white-painted  and 
half-surrounded  by  wide,  cool-looking  verandas. 

Beyond  the  farm  buildings  was  an  extensive  plain 
with  a  background  of  trees,  and  close  to  the  edge 
of  this  grove  appeared  a  large  flock  of  huge  birds 
feeding  or  moving  about. 

''The  ostriches  at  last,"  Peter  thought,  and  his 
conviction  was  soon  confirmed. 

Don  Miguel,  the  owner  of  the  plantation,  proved  a 
most  hospitable  host.  The  Castilian  had  difficulty 
in  restraining  his  curiosity,  however,  when  Peter 
declared  that  he  had  come  from  the  north,  chiefly 
to  see  and  study  the  South  American  ostrich. 

''Do  not  dismount.  We  will  go  at  once  and  you 
shall  inspect  the  birds  as  long  as  it  pleases  you," 
the  Don  declared,  after  sending  a  servant  for  a  mule. 

Driving  across  the  fields,  they  approached  to 
within  less  than  a  hundred  yards  before  the  host 
reined  in  his  animal  and  motioned  Peter  to  halt.  All 
at  once  the  birds  seemed  to  become  curious.  Far 
from  displaying  timidity,  one  by  one  with  bobbing 
heads  the  great  bipeds  began  to  stalk  calmly  toward 
their  visitors.  Soon  the  flock  had  gathered  about 
the  two  men.  It  required  only  a  brief  glance  for 
Peter  to  satisfy  his  interest,  for  he  perceived  that 
this  short-feathered,  three-toed  biped  was  not  a 
real  ostrich,  but  an  emu,  a  member  of  the  same  family 
and  much  resembling  the  ostrich,  but  of  a  commercial 

163 


THE     O  STRICH 

value  infinitely  inferior  to  that  of  the  large-plumed 
bird.     Turning  to  his  host,  he  said : 

^'Senor,  your  ostrich  no  longer  interests  me." 

"You  thought  that  our  birds  were  like  those  of 
Africa  and  the  eastern  countries?"  questioned  the 
host,  beginning  to  understand.  "Our  ostriches  are 
of  quite  a  different  sort.  The  peons  use  the  feathers 
for  rugs  and  the  flesh  and  eggs  for  food;  otherwise  our 
birds  have  a  comparatively  small  commercial  value. 
It  would  be  a  great  asset  to  the  country  if  they  were 
worth  more,  for  there  are  thousands  throughout  the 
south  and  west  here.  In  many  places  they  are  so 
tame  that  they  prove  a  great  nuisance." 

A  little  later  Peter  bade  his  host  farewell,  and  made 
his  way  to  the  railroad  station  in  Piedmos,  whence  he 
reached  Rio  Janeiro  late  that  evening. 

In  spite  of  the  dashing  of  his  hopes  concerning  the 
ostrich,  he  decided  to  spend  several  weeks  longer  in 
this  country  of  opportunity. 

A  day  or  two  later  he  sailed  on  a  small  steamer  for 
Santos  where  he  was  the  guest  of  one  of  the  largest 
coffee  growers  in  Brazil,  his  host  owning  five  hun- 
dred thousand  coffee- trees  and  employing  over  five 
thousand  laborers  and  servants. 

While  on  this  trip,  Peter  got  an  insight  into  the 
methods  used  to  manipulate  the  price  of  coffee.  In 
Brazil,  producing  three-fourths  of  the  supply  of  coffee 
used  and  capable  of  a  production  which  would  over- 
stock every  market  of  the  world,  he  found   that  a 

164 


ON    THE    WRONG    TRACK 

drastic  law  prohibited  the  further  planting  of  coffee- 
trees  for  several  years  to  come.  As  an  example  of  the 
methods  used  by  the  coffee  growers'  combination  to 
lessen  the  export  supply,  Peter  saw  whole  trainloads 
of  the  aromatic  berry,  that  had  been  purchased  from 
independent  growers  at  four  cents  a  pound,  shovelled 
overboard  into  Santos  Harbor.  And  he  also  got  a 
new  object-lesson  in  Yankee  shrewdness  in  the  in- 
genious Cape  Cod  captain  who  took  advantage  of 
the  situation  to  load  his  vessel  with  free  coffee 
drawn  up  from  the  harbor  bottom  by  means  of  a 
suction  pump. 

Proceeding  to  beautiful  Buenos  Ayres,  he  toured 
the  great  wheat  fields  and  stock  farms  of  Argentina, 
Paraguay  and  Uruguay.  Never  before  had  he  beheld 
such  seemingly  inexhaustible  possibilities  for  wealth 
as  Argentina  alone  presented  with  its  hundreds 
of  millions  of  cattle  and  sheep  and  its  two  hundred 
and  forty  million  acres  of  unequalled  wheat  and 
corn  land — enough  to  supply  half  the  world  if  it  were 
all  utilized  for  crops. 

Later  he  travelled  by  train  six  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  over  the  fertile  pampas  to  Mendoza,  whence 
he  crossed  the  Andes  and  journeyed  through  the  states 
of  Chile  and  Peru. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  this  expedition,  and  just 
before  he  set  out  for  the  eastern  coast  again  to  sail 
for  London,  that  he  took  part  in  the  most  exciting 
episode  of  the  journey. 

165 


THE     O  STRICH 

He  was  visiting  the  owner  of  a  great  plantation 
near  the  foothills  of  the  Andes.  When  his  host, 
Senor  Ouyella,  mentioned  that  a  man-killing,  wild 
boar  had  recently  been  proving  troublesome,  Peter, 
who  had  never  hunted  one  of  these  animals,  proposed 
that  he  and  his  host  go  after  the  beast. 

"He's  a  devilishly  nasty -tempered  brute,"  the 
senor  declared.  "Five  times  the  Indians  who  have 
tried  to  pot  him  with  clubs,  have  brought  back  one 
of  their  number  either  badly  mangled  or  dead.  The 
beast  is  a  fox,  too.  He  won't  run  in  the  open.  If 
you  want  to  get  a  shot,  you've  got  to  hunt  him  on 
foot.  Then  he  gets  you.  Besides,  he's  hard  to 
kill.  The  Indians  think  his  hide's  bullet-proof." 
This  story  of  the  boar's  prowess  increased  Peter's 
wish  to  make  the  hunt,  with  the  result  that  the 
planter  finally  despatched  six  half-breeds  to  locate 
the  whereabouts  of  the  quarry.  Then,  in  the 
late  afternoon  when  the  heat  of  the  woods  was 
beginning  to  diminish,  the  two  set  out  armed  and 
mounted. 

Soon  they  had  entered  a  wonderful  forest.  Fes- 
toons of  tropical  vines  with  scarlet,  yellow  and  white 
blossoms  everywhere  filled  the  air  with  an  intox- 
icating fragrance,  while  high  above  the  intertwined 
branches  of  the  primeval  trees  arrayed  themselves 
like  the  arches  of  a  mighty  cathedral.  Occasionally 
a  leafy  pathway,  green  with  moss  and  tender  shoots, 
would    stretch    out    ahead.    Then    the    underbrush 

i66 


ON    THE    WRONG    TRACK 

would  grow  denser  and  again  thicken  above,  increas- 
ing the  late  afternoon  shadows. 

''The  men  will  take  to  the  trees  if  the  brute  rushes 
them.  They  will  look  after  themselves.  Stick  to 
your  mule.  Don't  go  where  the  fox  can  ambush 
you  or  your  animal;  he's  got  a  pair  of  dangerous 
hoofs."  Such  admonitions  from  his  host  caused 
Peter  to  smile  secretly,  though  he  held  firmly  to  his 
rifle  and  kept  close  vigilance  on  the  path  ahead. 

They  had  proceeded  about  a  mile  when  suddenly 
the  narrow  path  broadened  into  a  clearing,  from  the 
opposite  end  of  which  ran  two  aisle-like  vistas,  sep- 
arated by  a  wall  of  foliage.  The  planter,  who  was  a 
little  in  advance,  turned  his  animal  into  the  left-hand 
pathway,  thinking  that  Peter  would  follow.  The 
latter,  however,  catching  a  glimpse  of  one  of  the 
bush-beaters  crossing  the  right-hand  aisle,  forgot  his 
host  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  and  digging 
his  heels  into  the  mule's  sides,  started  in  the  direction 
of  the  black. 

He  had  ridden  perhaps  twenty  yards  when  his 
attention  was  attracted  by  a  sudden  commotion  in  the 
bushes  at  one  side,  and  slowing  down,  he  caught 
sight  of  a  fawn,  evidently  but  a  few  days  old,  entan- 
gled in  a  mass  of  \dnes  and  bushes,  struggling  \Yi\d\y 
to  extricate  itself. 

Forgetful  of  his  host's  previous  warning,  Peter 
jumped  to  the  ground  and  ran  to  capture  the  fright- 
ened baby,  but  hardly  had  he  laid  hands  upon  it  when 

167 


THE     OSTRICH 

his  ears  were  assailed  by  a  succession  of  hideous 
roars  behind  him.  Turning,  he  beheld  his  mule 
galloping  away  with  a  frightful  bellowing,  while  a 
beady-eyed,  villanous-looking  wild  boar,  its  brown- 
ish-gray body  humped  up  with  rage,  stood  over  the 
rifle  which  he  had  dropped  in  his  eagerness  to  capture 
the  fawn. 

When  Peter  looked  round,  the  boar  had  not  seen 
him,  but  as  he  let  go  the  fawn,  the  frantic  tugging 
of  the  frightened  little  animal  instantly  drew  the 
attention  of  the  quarry. 

Peter  had  barely  time  to  swing  himself  into  the 
lower  branches  of  a  nearby  tree  when  the  infuriated 
brute  charged. 

And  now  occurred  an  encounter  such  as  few  have 
ever  witnessed. 

Peter  had  barely  settled  himself  safely  above  the 
danger  on  the  ground,  when  a  new  sound  resembling 
the  hiss  of  escaping  air  as  the  brakes  are  released 
on  a  railway  train,  rose  above  him.  Looking  up, 
he  was  horrified  to  see  a  monster  boa-constrictor 
stretched  out  upon  the  branches  with  its  mouth 
agape  and  its  eyes  ablaze  with  such  a  rage  as  made 
the  fury  of  the  lank  brute  below  seem  insignificant 
by  comparison. 

For  a  moment  Peter  felt  himself  lost.  Then  he 
noticed  that  the  reptile's  eyes  were  fixed  not  upon 
himself,  but  upon  the  ground  below  him.  Looking 
down,  he  saw  that  the  wild  boar,  in  tossing  up  the  dirt 

i63 


ON    THE    WRONG    TRACK 

and  moss  with  its  sharp  hoofs,  had  inadvertently 
unearthed  a  trio  of  baby  snakes,  evidently  the  chil- 
dren of  the  reptile  above.  But  not  content  with 
having  disturbed  the  snakes,  the  mad  animal  was 
now  bent  upon  destroying  them. 

What  ensued  happened  with  incredible  swiftness. 
Just  as  the  boar  had  fixed  its  teeth  in  the  back  of 
one  of  the  baby  snakes,  a  black  streak  suddenly  shot 
down  through  the  air  from  an  upper  branch,  and  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye  a  double  coil  had  been  gath- 
ered squarely  round  the  belly  of  the  boar.  Taken 
by  surprise,  the  beast  had  barely  time  to  emit  a  final 
half-roar,  half-scream,  when  a  sudden  tightening  of 
the  snake's  folds  crushed  the  tough,  hairy  body  as 
easily  as  if  it  had  been  an  eggshell. 

Peter,  who  had  dropped  to  the  groimd,  was  running 
toward  the  spot  where  his  gun  lay  when  the  sound 
of  a  rifle-shot  followed  by  the  ^^ping"  of  a  Mauser 
bullet  caused  him  to  turn.  As  he  did  so,  he  saw  the 
snake's  tail  loose  itself  from  the  limb  above  and  fall 
limply.  Then  suddenly  the  great  folds  relaxed  their 
vise-like  grip  upon  the  dead  victim,  writhed  and 
twisted  on  the  ground  for  a  moment  and  finally  grew 
still. 

Then  Peter  heard  the  voice  of  his  host  sa3dng: 

*' A  lucky  escape  for  you,  senor." 

The  next  morning  he  bade  the  planter  good-bye 
and  started  for  Buenos  Ayres,  whence  his  long  jour- 
ney across  the  ocean  was  to  begin. 

169 


XIII 
SOME  EVILS  AND  A  CURE 

Nearly  six  months  later  Peter  Rutledge,  dusty 
and  somewhat  lean  and  gaunt-cheeked  from  the 
tedium  of  much  study  and  travel,  but  pleased  with 
the  results  of  his  investigations,  alighted  at  the  rail- 
way station  in  Naples. 

Ann  Newman,  her  face  wreathed  in  smiles,  came 
forward  to  meet  him. 

Ann  was  on  her  way  to  Switzerland  to  join  Mrs. 
Van  Siddons,  having  landed  from  the  New  York 
steamer  the  night  before.  In  a  letter  from  America 
she  had  mentioned  her  intention  of  going  abroad,  and 
Peter,  being  then  almost  ready  to  start  on  his  long- 
planned  journey  into  lower  Egypt  and  Abyssinia, 
had  suggested  this  meeting.  The  girl  had  planned 
the  details  of  their  day's  outing,  the  night  before. 

After  the  first  greetings,  they  entered  the  motor 
car  that  stood  waiting,  and  soon  were  riding  between 
vine-clad  hills  along  the  road  leading  to  the  ruins 
of  an  ancient  Italian  castle  which  the  girl  wished  to 
explore.  The  structure  proved  to  be  an  interesting 
relic  of  bygone  days,  and  the  forenoon  was  more  than 
half-gone  when,  a  little  breathless  from  following  the 

170 


SOME    EVILS    AND    A    CURE 

garrulous  Latin  guide  up  and  down  gloomy  stair- 
ways and  through  ancient  banquet-hall,  ducal  chamber 
and  rat-infested  dungeon,  the  two  friends  sat  down 
together  upon  a  moss-covered  parapet  overlooking 
the  beautiful  blue  of  the  distant  bay  of  Naples. 

^' Felix  is  growing  into  a  splendid  type  of  youth, 
clear-headed  and  intelligent.  You  will  be  impressed 
with  my  preceptorship  when  you  see  him  again,"  the 
girl  gayly  boasted.  "Your  godmother  is  still  at 
Bern;  I  am  to  meet  her  there.  ]\Iax  and  Alicia 
are  at  home,  as  happy  and  contented  as  turtle-doves." 
Thus  disposing  of  the  essentials  at  one  and  the  same 
time,  she  suddenly  looked  up  at  him  seriously,  from 
beneath  the  broad  brim  of  her  rose-colored  hat,  and 
exclaimed : 

"And  now  tell  me  of  yourseK.  Tell  me  ever^lhing 
that  you  have  seen  or  done." 

It  thrilled  him  to  note  the  interest  which  her 
direct  words  and  the  earnestness  of  her  manner 
indicated. 

"I  am  beginning  to  imderstand  what  is  the  great- 
est thing  in  the  world,"  he  replied.  "Since  I  landed 
in  England  last  year,  I've  held  close  to  one  purpose, 
and  that  was  to  see  human  conditions  as  they  really 
are.  In  doing  that,  I've  learned  some  useful  truths. 
I'm  glad  that  you  and  I  have  always  believed  there 
was  an  infallible  remedy  for  poverty.  There  is. 
Listen,  and  I'll  tell  you  what  has  made  me  so 
certain. 

171 


THE     O  STRICH 

"In  London  I  was  introduced  to  Sir  John  Kirk, 
president  of  the  Ragged  Schools.  He  is  a  remarkable 
man  whose  life  is  being  spent  in  behalf  of  the  children 
of  the  slums.  His  kindness  enabled  me  to  study 
at  first  hand  the  dreadful  and  almost  unbelievable 
conditions  surrounding  the  poor  wretches  of  London. 
I  wonder  if  you  would  like  to  hear  of  what  I  saw 
in  the  English  slums?"   he  asked,  pausing. 

She  nodded  in  reply. 

''There  are  no  slums  anywhere  else  like  them.  I 
suppose  it  is  partly  because  England  is  so  over-popu- 
lated," he  continued.  ''The  'Land  of  Promise' 
Street  is  twelve  feet  wide  and  fourteen  hundred 
feet  long,  but  Sir  John  Kirk  and  his  friends  of  the 
missions  take  as  many  as  six  hundred  poor  children 
from  the  'Land  of  Promise'  Street  alone,  when  the 
annual  summer  vacation  trips  are  allotted  among  the 
slum  children.  You  can  guess  from  that  how  many 
people  live  there. 

"As  you  enter  the  street,  you  find  a  beer  saloon 
at  each  corner.  A  few  days  before  my  visit,  a  po- 
liceman was  murdered  there  in  broad  daylight.  If 
you  were  to  travel  that  short  fourteen  hundred  feet 
in  the  winter  time,  you  would  see  swarms  of  children 
clad  only  in  pieces  of  old  bagging  or  a  few  rags.  Win- 
ter and  summer  they  go  half-naked.  Everybody  is 
destitute.  Everybody  is  starving.  Nothing  thrives 
there  except  the  grog-shop  and  vermin.  The  people 
live  mostly  in  one-room  tenements,  six,  eight,  and 

172 


SOME    EVILS    AND     A     CURE 

nine  in  a  room,  and  some  of  these  rooms  are  under- 
ground with  only  a  small  aperture  overhead  for  light 
and  air.  It  costs  five  dollars  a  month  for  a  room 
like  that,  eight  feet  long  and  ten  feet  wide. 

*'  If  you  went  into  London's  East  Side  at  noon-time 
when  the  whistle  blows  announcing  the  free  noon 
meal,  you  would  see  these  poor  wretches  pouring  like 
rodents,  tattered  and  gaunt,  from  underground  cellars 
and  dreadful  dens  of  gloom  and  filth,  rushing  franti- 
cally to  obtain  the  precious  tickets  which  entitle  the 
lucky  holders  to  a  free  dinner. 

*'It  is  a  pitiful  sight  to  witness  two  or  three  thou- 
sand starving  wretches  madly  stumbling  over  each 
other  in  their  eagerness  to  obtain  the  warmth  and 
comfort  which  the  building  where  they  are  served 
provides  them.  It  is  the  only  joy  that  they  have  in 
Hfe. 

"In  ^Land  of  Promise'  Street,  in  Hoxton  Street,  in 
Kingsland  Road  and  over  a  vast  area  that  resembles 
a  plague  spot  in  the  heart  of  London,  these  scenes 
of  squalor,  misery  and  degradation  are  of  daily 
occurrence.  Yet  millions  of  dollars  are  annually 
poured  out  by  the  English  societies  and  church 
people  for  the  saving  of  souls  in  foreign  lands. 

"As  bad  as  they  are,  these  loathsome  quarters  of 
destitution  would  be  a  thousand  times  worse,  were 
it  not  for  such  men  as  Sir  John  Kirk  and  the  brothers 
John  Burtt  and  Le^vis  Burtt.  John  and  Lewis  Burtt 
run  a  saddler's  shop  in  the  heart  of  the  slum  quarter, 

173 


THE     OSTRICH 

but  they  give  all  they  earn  and  all  they  can  beg  for 
the  sake  of  the  poor  about  them. 

"What  makes  all  this  seem  doubly  terrible  is  that 
hundreds  of  fathers  and  mothers,  and  children  also, 
go  day  after  day  and  month  after  month  vainly  look- 
ing for  work." 

"Is  it  so  hard  to  find  employment?"  asked  Ann. 

"Let  me  tell  you  about  the  chemical  workers  of 
St.  Helens  and  the  chain  workers  of  Cradley  Heath; 
that  will  help  you  to  understand  better  the  awfulness 
of  the  bondage  that  lays  upon  these  overcrowded 
people  in  England."  He  seemed  almost  to  have  for- 
gotten her  presence  now.  He  was  talking  rapidly,  as 
if  the  pictures  which  he  brought  up  had  burned 
themselves  into  his  mind. 

"In  St.  Helens  there  are  eighty  thousand  people 
who  produce  principally  coal,  glass,  pills,  chemical 
products,  cripples  and  paupers.  There  are  a  great 
many  cripples  and  paupers,  thousands  of  them,  men 
who  at  forty  have  been  wrung  dry  of  health,  strength 
and  spirit.  Twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  poorhouse 
inmates  there  are  former  chemical  workers.  I  had 
not  dreamed  that  Hell  could  be  as  bad  as  the  house 
of  death  where  the  chemical  workers  of  St.  Helens 
are  employed. 

"The  place  reminds  me  of  a  picture  in  Dante's 
Inferno.  The  clouds  of  half-consumed  gases  that 
always  hang  over  the  city  obscure  the  sky.  Sun- 
shine is  as  rare  as  gold  there. 

174 


SOME    EVILS    AND    A    CURE 

"The  chemical  men  work  in  a  temperature  often 
as  high  as  120  degrees.  The  air  they  breathe  is  satu- 
rated with  the  poison  of  many  gases  which,  in  a  few 
years,  breaks  down  the  health  of  the  strongest  person. 
It  rots  the  workingman's  clothes;  it  burns  away  his 
shoes;  it  destroys  his  teeth,  hair  and  skin.  To 
supply  courage  to  keep  himself  at  work  and  to  lessen 
the  anguish  of  his  task,  he  is  driven  to  consume  large 
amounts  of  beer  and  whiskey.  These  workers,  if  they 
can  stand  the  pace,  labor  from  twelve  to  fourteen 
hours  a  day,  and  they  make  from  seventy-five  cents 
to  one  dollar  and  ninety  cents  a  day.  Yet  there  is 
never  a  dearth  of  chemical  workers  and  when  one 
falls  or  plays  out  there  are  always  others  to  take  his 
place." 

"Those  are  terrible  facts,"  she  said. 

He  went  on  as  if  he  had  not  heard  her: 

"Some  of  the  things  taken  for  granted  in  England 
are  ghastly.  The  spectacle  of  the  men  and  women 
chain  workers  of  Cradley  Heath  seems  worse  than 
that — it  beggars  description. 

"At  Cradley  you  see  white-haired  old  women  bend- 
ing beneath  fifty  pounds  or  more  of  chain  borne  on 
their  shoulders;  they  wield  great  hammers  before 
blazing  furnaces;  and  they  are  happy  if  by  doing  so 
they  can  earn  four  cents  an  hour.  You  see  mothers 
there  working  at  the  chain-making  business  with 
nursing  babes  in  their  arms. 

"The  men  of  Cradley  who  stand  all  day  long  in 

175 


THE     OSTRICH 

the  terrific  heat  of  many  roaring  furnaces  and  seeth- 
ing cauldrons  think  themselves  lucky  if  they  can  make 
eight  dollars  for  a  full  week's  work.  The  strain  is 
so  terrific  that  few  men  can  hold  out  over  four  days 
a  week.  As  at  St.  Helens,  men  at  Cradley  Heath  are 
worn  out  by  the  time  they  reach  forty;  some  give  up 
when  younger. 

"These  are  the  physical  horrors  that  accompany 
what  they  term  high-wage  work.  In  what  is  called 
the  domestic  workshop  at  Cradley,  the  women  earn 
a  maximum  of  one  dollar  and  a  half  a  week  of  six 
work-days  of  twelve  hours  each.  One  married  couple 
there  works  one  hundred  and  twenty  hours  a  week  to 
earn  four  dollars  and  fifty  cents.  Women  often  work 
to  within  an  hour  or  two  of  childbirth." 

"But  surely  such  conditions  do  not  prevail  all 
over  England?"  interposed  Ann,  horrified  at  this 
picture  of  servitude. 

"So  many  thousands  still  have  to  endure  such 
things  that,  though  the  evil  is  not  universal,  it  is 
indeed  mighty  and  menacing,"  he  answered.  "As 
a  matter  of  fact,  high  wages  are  unusual  in  England. 
Just  before  I  left  London  one  of  the  large  printing- 
houses  there  had  a  compositor  arrested  on  the  charge 
of  defrauding  the  firm  out  of  twenty-five  cents.  At 
the  trial  it  was  brought  out  that  the  man's  wages 
were  three  dollars  and  eighty-five  cents  a  week.  He 
had  a  wife  and  three  children.  He  cheated  to  get 
medicine  for  a  sick  baby." 

176 


SOME     EVILS     AND     A     CURE 

''What  is  the  cause  of  all  this?"  asked  the  girl. 
"It  seems  as  if  there  must  be  some  very  definite 
reason  for  it." 

"The  cause,  in  England,  is  easy  to  ascertain," 
replied  Peter.  "Poverty  conditions  are  sapping  the 
vitaHty  of  the  Empire  because  of  the  appalHngly 
erroneous  economic  system  of  land  ownership. 
No  octopus  of  wealth  ever  more  completely  throttled 
the  growth  of  a  country  than  does  the  land  trust  of 
the  English  lords.  It  can  be  called  hardly  less  than 
a  trust.  Five  hundred  and  twenty-five  English 
nobles  own  over  one  quarter  of  all  the  land  in  Eng- 
land. Seven  lords  own  more  than  thirty-two  hun- 
dred acres  in  the  heart  of  London.  That  land  is 
estimated  to  be  worth  three  billion,  two  hundred 
million  dollars.  In  many  places  in  England  young 
men  and  women  cannot  marry  because  there  is 
nowhere  for  them  to  build  a  house,  and  this  happens 
often  where  there  are  miles  of  splendid  forest  and 
unused  lands  lying  all  about.  The  land  is  impossi- 
ble of  acquisition  because  it  is  retained  as  a  game 
preserve  by  the  lords  of  the  manor. 

"But  there  is  a  brighter  side  to  living  conditions 
in  England,"  he  went  on.  "A  host  of  the  people 
have  lost  all  sense  of  resentment  against  the  evils 
which  press  them  down.  Indeed,  their  inertia  has 
continued  so  long  that  they  have  reached  the  con- 
dition where  the  idea  of  helping  themselves  does 
not  appeal  to  them  in  the  least.     But  those  minus 

177 


THE    O  STRICH 

such  initiative  are  diminishing  before  the  thousands 
who  have  learned  the  secret  of  Hving  co-operatively. 

"I  have  endeavored  to  make  a  comparative  study 
of  methods  employed  in  different  countries  to  better 
the  condition  of  the  poor  and  my  observations 
indicate  that  the  same  general  principle  actuates 
every  effective  plan  for  helping  the  great  mass  of 
the  people. 

"The  beginning  of  England's  present-day  army  of 
co-operative  workers  embodies  a  story  of  the  heroism 
of  a  few  men  who  thought  for  themselves.  What 
they  did  launched  a  great  force  which  is  now  pene- 
trating to  every  land  and  helping  to  Hghten  the  hard- 
ships of  all  who  choose  to  profit  by  it.  The  story  of 
these  men  interests  me,  and  I  think  it  will  interest 
you. 

"In  1844  twenty-eight  flannel  weavers  in  Roch- 
dale decided  to  start  a  co-operative  store.  They 
were  terribly  poor;  wages  were  exceedingly  low  and 
work  was  scarce;  but  they  managed  to  get  together 
twenty-eight  pounds,  two  and  three  pence  at  a  time, 
and  opened  their  little  shop. 

"They  had  at  first  only  four  articles  to  sell — 
butter,  flour,  sugar  and  oatmeal,  for  there  was  not 
enough  money  to  buy  anything  else.  But  the  in- 
fluence of  that  little  store  began  to  spread  at  once. 
Anyone  who  wished  could  take  out  a  share  and  with 
a  small  payment  down,  the  profits  from  the  share- 
holders'  purchases   could   be   left   to   complete   the 

178 


SOME     EVILS    AND     A    CURE 

payment  on  the  original  stock.  Every  share  drew 
interest  at  five  per  cent.  The  rest  of  the  profits  were 
divided  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  purchases 
of  each  stockholder.  The  first  share  or  two,  while 
transferable,  could  not  be  withdrawn,  but  the  profits 
from  purchases  could  be  left  in  the  business  until 
they  amounted  to  about  a  thousand  dollars. 

*'The  experiment  proved  a  success  from  the  start. 
In  fifteen  years  it  had  resulted  in  a  seventy-five- 
thousand-dollar  co-operative  business,  and  now  co- 
operative stores,  factories,  mills  and  wholesale  houses 
are  wide-spread  in  England. 

**The  co-operative  wholesale  society  of  Manchester 
alone,  employing  over  fifteen  thousand  persons 
and  having  more  than  one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  fifty  retail  societies,  represents  a  membership  of 
over  a  million  and  a  half  of  people  and  a  total  annual 
profit  of  more  than  twenty  millions  of  dollars.  This 
society  owns  its  own  steamships,  foreign  depots, 
tea  estates  in  the  Far  East  and  a  number  of  creameries 
and  farms.  All  over  England  the  same  principle  has 
wakened  the  workingman  to  a  sense  of  personal 
power." 

The  girl  had  sat  silently  listening  to  his  words. 
Now  she  asked: 

''And  you  say  that  you  found  this  principle  in 
operation  in  other  countries?" 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "at  every  step  in  my  travels, 
as  often  as  I  began  to  analyze  an  industrial  situation 

179 


THE     OSTRICH 

which  promised  material  advantages  to  all,  I  found 
that  the  co-operative  idea  was  involved. 

"Let  me  give  you  a  picture  of  a  man  in  Germany, 
one  of  the  humble  philosophers  of  a  few  years  back, 
who  caught  the  spirit  of  co-operation  from  the  weavers 
of  Rochdale  and  set  himself  to  the  work  of  helping 
his  countrymen.  His  name  was  Raiffeison — Fried- 
rich  Wilhelm  Raiffeison,  a  burgomaster  in  barren 
Westerwald,  in  the  Rhine  country.  He  was  twenty- 
six  years  old  when  the  Rochdale  weavers  started 
their  store.  As  soon  as  he  realized  what  their  ex- 
periment could  be  made  to  mean  to  his  neighbors, 
he  set  about  putting  it  into  practice  for  their  benefit. 
These  men,  mostly  farmers,  suffered  terribly  from 
lack  of  capital  and  the  ruinously  high  prices  paid  for 
fertilizer;  they  were  being  constantly  robbed  by 
money-lenders  and  cheated  in  the  markets;  they  had 
no  money  with  which  to  buy  modern  machinery. 

"In  1849  Raiffeison  came  forward  with  his  co- 
operative loan  bank  by  means  of  which  it  was  made 
possible  for  those  who  needed  money  to  borrow  small 
sums  upon  the  joint  responsibility  of  all.  The  bank 
was  a  little  association  of  neighbors.  In  five  years 
Raiffeison  established  another  of  these  banks,  and 
in  eight  years  still  another.  Finally,  they  began 
to  spread  and  now  they  are  counted  by  the  thousands 
in  many  lands." 

"And  what  about  Italy?"  Ann  asked. 

"I  would  like  to  take  you  on  a  visit  to  Milan,"  he 

180 


SOME     EVILS     AND     A     CURE 

answered.  "After  having  seen  Naples  with  its 
atmosphere  of  neglect  and  poverty,  the  beauty  and 
cleanliness  of  that  lovely  city  in  Lombardy  would 
teach  you  what  the  intelligent  Italian  has  accom- 
plished by  working  co-operatively.  Milan  is  one 
of  the  clean  cities  of  the  world.  Its  streets  are 
splendidly  paved  and  spotless;  it  is  replete  with 
handsome  parks  and  public  buildings;  but  w^hat  you 
notice  there  more  than  anything  else  is  the  spirit 
of  industrial  happiness  that  pervades  all  classes. 
The  principle  of  co-operation  permeates  business 
thoroughly.  No  better  illustration  can  be  had  of 
what  people  can  achieve,  working  together,  than  is 
presented  by  Milan. 

"It  is  the  same  wherever  the  co-operative  idea  has 
been  tried:  men  and  women  seem  to  have  progressed 
in  the  social  scale  and  are  the  happiest.  Agri- 
cultural co-operation  has  made  Denmark,  next  to 
England,  the  richest  country,  in  proportion  to  its 
population,  in  Europe.  In  France  the  influence  of 
productive  co-operation  is  rapidly  knitting  together 
the  working  classes  and  bringing  the  whole  nation 
up  to  a  plane  of  greater  intelligence  and  prosperity. 
Indeed  it  is  a  world  principle  which  can  be  applied 
to  all  classes  for  the  advantage  of  all." 

"  Is  it  a  remedy  for  poverty  in  our  country? ''  asked 
Ann,  turning  her  eyes  gravely  toward  him. 

"It  is  a  remedy  for  people  everywhere, '^  he  an- 
swered. 

i8i 


THE     O  STRICH 

Suddenly  a  startled  expression  flashed  over  the 
girl's  face  as  her  eyes  focussed  upon  an  automobile 
crawling  up  the  roadway  toward  the  castle: 

^'Look,  our  chauffeur  is  returning!  How  fast  the 
time  has  gone!  Shall  you  come  with  me  to 
Bern?" 

*'No,"  he  answered,  looking  at  her  intently,  ^'I 
am  off  to  Brindisi  to-night.  From  there  I  shall  go 
to  Port  Said  and  then  on  to  find  the  mysterious 
queen  of  whom  the  sheik  told  me.  Do  you  remem- 
ber?" 

Ann's  eyes  grew  round  with  interest,  and  he  saw 
her  press  her  hands  together. 

^'  You  are  going  to  solve  the  mystery  of  the  ostrich?  " 
she  asked. 

He  nodded. 

*'You  are  brave,"  she  said,  "and  determined.  I 
am  glad  that  you  are  going  and  yet  I  shall  be  anxious 
until  you  return,  for  Africa  is  full  of  dangers  and 
when  your  life  is  in  peril — " 

They  had  both  risen,  and  the  man  now  took  a  step 
toward  her,  his  eyes  alight  with  happiness  and  hope. 
But  as  he  did  so,  she  raised  one  hand,  saying: 

*'Do  not  forget  our  agreement."  Then  with  down- 
cast eyes:  "It  is  time  that  we  were  hastening  back." 

A  little  ruefully  he  followed  her  down  over  the  moss- 
carpeted  stairways  of  the  castle  and  out  into  the 
courtyard  where  the  car  stood  waiting. 


182 


XIV 

"I   FORBID   YOU,   MONSIEUR" 

Having  seen  Ann  safely  ensconced  on  the  night 
express,  Peter  had  barely  time  to  collect  his  baggage 
and  fling  himself  into  a  railway  compartment  before 
his  own  train  started  for  Brindisi. 

As  he  lay  wrapped  in  his  travelling  rug,  he  found  it 
hard  to  detach  his  thoughts  from  the  girl  to  whom 
he  had  just  said  good-bye.  Yet  there  was  a  grim 
determination  in  the  set  of  his  jaw  now.  He  realized 
that  he  was  bound  upon  an  unusual  quest.  The 
great  principle  which  had  gradually  been  unfolding 
itself  before  him  during  his  travels  on  the  Continent 
had  become  an  inspiration  to  him.  He  was  more 
than  interested — he  was  filled  with  eagerness  to  find 
out  all  about  the  ostrich,  no  matter  what  perils  the 
work  of  gaining  that  knowledge  might  entail. 

During  the  trip  across  the  Mediterranean  and  down 
the  Red  Sea  to  Aden  he  was  buoyed  up  by  his  deter- 
mination. When  the  steamer  left  him  at  the  latter 
place,  standing  on  the  wharf  with  his  baggage  beside 
him  and  with  many  curious  eyes  set  in  foreign  faces 
staring  at  him  \vith  suspicion  from  all  sides,  he  began 
to  realize  that  he  was  facing  an  experience  in  which 

183 


THE     O  STRICH 

much  would  undoubtedly  depend  upon  the  decision 
of  the  moment.  Beckoning  to  a  weather-beaten 
Arab  and  accosting  the  man  in  the  native  tongue, 
Peter  asked  for  a  captain  to  take  him  to  Shaliti. 

The  latter  place,  since  it  was  the  gateway  to  the 
heart  of  Abyssinia,  was  to  be  his  point  of  departure 
into  the  desert.  Come  what  might,  he  intended  to 
follow  out  the  directions  of  the  old  sheik  who  had 
bidden  him  seek  the  mysterious  and  all-wise  queen 
at  the  head  waters  of  the  Blue  Nile. 

Replying  to  Peter's  inquiry,  the  old  man,  who  was 
plainly  nonplussed  at  finding  himself  addressed,  in 
his  owTi  tongue,  by  this  white-skinned  American, 
hastened  to  explain  that  he  would  take  the  sahib  to 
Shaliti  in  his  own  packet,  which  at  that  moment  was 
ready  to  set  out  on  a  fishing  trip. 

After  a  minute  of  bargaining,  a  price  was  agreed 
upon  and  Peter  was  conducted  on  board  an  unpainted 
and  dilapidated  little  sloop  which  lay  tied  up  at  an 
exceedingly  dirty  and  ill -smelling,  nearby  wharf. 

Peter  had  learned  from  the  chance  remark  of  an 
Englishman  with  whom  he  had  become  acquainted 
on  his  way  across  the  Mediterranean  that,  for  dip- 
lomatic reasons,  a  strict  oversight  of  all  arriving 
strangers  was  being  maintained  along  the  east  coast. 
Peter's  informant,  however,  had  not  made  clear  what 
the  reasons  were  for  this  surveillance. 

Just  before  the  leaky,  little  sloop,  with  much 
creaking  of  rusty  blocks  and  yelling  of  naked  sailors, 

184 


"I    FORBID    YOU,    MONSIEUR" 

dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Shaliti  the  captain 
furnished  the  answer  to  this  riddle.  Upon  hearing 
Peter  assert  that  he  intended  to  cross  the  desert 
and  hunt  in  Abyssinia,  the  grizzled  Arab  had  spread 
out  his  hands  and  said: 

*' Unless  the  sahib  is  very  powerful  and  rich,  the 
military  will  not  allow  him  to  make  the  journey. 
The  great  governors  across  the  water  intend  to  forbid 
the  export  of  the  ostrich.  While  the  conference  over 
this  is  going  on  between  the  French,  the  Italians  and 
the  English,  it  is  necessary  that  no  one  shall  take  out 
any  birds.  That  is,  sahib,  the  great  law  covering  all 
the  land  has  not  been  made,  but  it  is  all  the  same  as 
if  it  had." 

Thus,  at  the  first  step,  Peter  found  himself  facing 
what  might  prove  a  most  serious  hindrance  to  his 
plans.  He  was  exceedingly  glad  that  the  Arab  had 
forewarned  him.  It  would  undoubtedly  aid  him  in 
getting  started  on  his  journey. 

After  being  rowed  ashore  in  full  view  of  the  govern- 
ment buildings  and  the  military  post,  there  remained 
nothing  for  him  to  do  but  to  openly  make  his  way  to 
the  governor's  office.  There  he  found  a  thick-set, 
iron-gray  man,  clad  in  white  linen,  cut  a  la  militaire, 
sitting  before  a  large  desk  in  a  cool,  well-ventilated 
office  on  the  second  floor,  busily  engaged  in  writing. 

Introducing  himself,  Peter  explained  that  he  wished 
to  make  a  journey  into  Abyssinia.  Instantly  the 
governor's  face  lighted  with  interest. 

i8s 


THE     OSTRICH 

"Would  monsieur  object  to  telling  his  reasons  for 
undertaking  this  dangerous  journey?" 

After  Peter  had  explained  that  he  wished  to  explore 
the  country  and  try  his  hand  at  big  game  shooting, 
the  other  asked; 

''How  many  men  do  you  propose  to  take  with 
you?" 

"Oh,  a  guide  or  two,"  replied  Peter. 

"Monsieur  will  do  well  to  take  my  advice  and 
forego  his  journey."  The  man's  curiosity  was  grow- 
ing: "Has  monsieur  ever  travelled  across  the 
desert?  " 

Peter  shook  his  head. 

"There  are  many  risks." 

"I  beg  that  Your  Excellency  grant  me  a  permit  to 
proceed." 

"It  is  a  folly  that  you  suggest,  Monsieur  Rutledge! 
The  wild  tribes  of  the  desert  are  very  dangerous  now. 
To  undertake  this  incomprehensible  trip  with  only  a 
guide  or  two  and  minus  the  protection  of  fighting 
men  is  madness." 

Peter  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  It  is  courting  death,"  the  man  continued.  "White 
men,  especially  those  unused  to  the  dangers  of  the 
desert,  fall  easy  victims  to  the  lawless  Bedouins. 
They  are  greatly  enraged  with  the  Christians  just 
now  because  of  troubles  in  the  south.  These 
men  attack  and  plunder  with  great  courage.  Our 
troops  seldom  dare  to  travel  far  in  squads  of  less 

i86 


«I    FORBID    YOU,    MONSIEUR" 

than  fifty.  Savage  encounters  have  grown  frequent 
of  late." 

*'But  I  am  willing  to  risk  it,  Your  Excellency." 
The  stubborn  note  in  the  American's  voice  seemed  to 
irritate  the  older  man.  For  a  moment  there  was  a 
dead  silence  in  the  room.  Then  with  a  hardly  re- 
pressed scowl,  the  Frenchman  said: 

**We  have  discussed  it  enough.  I  forbid  you  to 
attempt  this  foolhardy  trip,  monsieur.  I  cannot 
grant  you  a  permit  to  leave  Shaliti.  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  arrest  you  if  you  disobey." 


187 


XV 
ALONE  IN  THE  DESERT 

The  hint  of  a  frown  still  lingered  on  His  Excel- 
lency's face  as  Peter  bowed  and  withdrew  to  the 
street.  He  was  still  puzzKng  over  the  perplexing 
situation  created  by  the  dictum  of  the  governor  when 
he  heard  a  voice  at  his  elbow  saying: 

^'The  white  sahib  wears  the  signet  ring  of  friend- 
ship bestowed  by  the  great  queen  of  Rhadan.  Arnak 
knows  the  token  well."  The  dark  eyes  of  a  tall, 
slender,  grave-faced  Arab  were  fixed  upon  him  as  he 
turned. 

"The  great  queen — "  he  asked. 

"The  sahib  wears  her  gift  and  yet  knows  her  not?" 
There  was  perplexity  in  the  voice.  "Zar  is  rever- 
enced by  Arab  and  Black  alike.  Neither  the  wise 
men  of  the  desert  nor  the  medicine  men  of  the  hill 
tribes  possess  the  wisdom  of  Zar.  Her  word  is  law 
to  thousands." 

Peter  thrust  a  hand  beneath  the  Arab's  arm. 
"The  white  sahib  would  learn  more  of  this  wonderful 
Zar.  Come,  let  us  find  a  place  where  we  can  talk 
unobserved,"  he  said. 

The  native  silently  led  the  way  through  the  narrow 


ALONE    IN    THE    DESERT 

streets,  finally  halting  before  a  shadowy  doorway 
through  which  he  ushered  his  companion  into  a  small 
and  rather  squalid  room  lighted  by  a  single  diminu- 
tive window  and  a  brazier  of  burning  coals  standing 
in  the  centre  of  the  floor. 

^'The  sahib  seeks  to  find  the  great  queen,"  said 
Peter,  seating  himself.  *'Will  Arnak  show  him  the 
way  to  Zar's  domain?" 

The  other  man,  who  had  squatted  before  the  brazier, 
looked  up  quickly: 

"More  than  a  hundred  leagues  to  the  southwest, 
across  the  desert  and  deep  in  the  wilds  of  a  country 
Httle  known  and  much  feared,  Zar  rules.  Death  in 
many  forms  lurks  along  the  path  to  her  land." 

"The  white  sahib  means  to  find  this  queen  of 
whom  Arnak  knows,"  said  Peter,  gravely.  "He  has 
come  thousands  of  miles  on  this  quest.  Neither 
danger  nor  hardship  can  deter  him  now." 

"The  way  lies  over  lonely  wastes,  pest-ridden 
valleys  and  rock-strewn  defiles  that  too  often  hide 
savage  bands  waiting  to  prey  on  travellers,"  said  the 
Arab.  "Sometimes,  for  days,  no  water  is  to  be  had. 
The  bones  and  skulls  of  many  hapless  men  lie  bleach- 
ing along  the  trail.  And  when  the  sahib  has  passed 
the  lowlands  and  penetrated  beyond  the  mountain 
range  that  fringes  the  tropical  Abyssinian  fastnesses, 
many  strange-tongued  and  bloodthirsty  tribes  of 
savage  men  who  feed  upon  human  flesh  infest  the 
forest.     In  the  timbered  foothills,  too,  man-eating 

189 


THE     OSTRICH 

lions,  panthers,  elephants  and  crocodiles  are  to  be 
met  with  everywhere.  Has  the  white  sahib  counted 
all  the  dangers?" 

"They  matter  not,"  Peter  responded,  with  a 
shrug.  "Will  Arnak  guide  the  sahib?  He  shall  be 
well  paid." 

The  Arab  paused  only  for  a  moment: 

"Arnak  has  no  choice  but  to  obey  him  who  speaks 
with  the  authority  of  the  all- wise  Zar." 

Thus,  just  as  the  moon  crept  past  the  zenith  of 
the  sky  that  night  and  when  his  all-day  confinement 
in  the  stuffy  Arab  dwelling — where  he  had  taken 
refuge  to  avoid  the  governor's  spies — had  almost 
exhausted  Peter's  patience,  he  felt  a  light  hand  on  his 
shoulder  and  heard  Arnak's  voice  saying: 

"Let  the  sahib  follow  quickly." 

Traversing  the  inner  courtyard  and  mounting  two 
flights  of  stone  stairs  leading  up  between  dark  walls 
of  masonry,  the  guide  finally  reached  the  roof  of  the 
dwelling.  Halting  there,  he  pointed  to  a  long, 
narrow  timber-piece  bridging  the  flat  roof  of  the 
building  upon  which  he  stood  with  the  one  directly 
across  the  street. 

"Two  spies  are  watching  the  house,  sahib.  It  is 
the  only  way." 

For  a  minute  Peter  paused.  Overhead  millions  of 
stars  and  a  crescent  of  silver  lighted  a  cloudless  sky; 
beneath  lurked  the  dark  shadows  of  the  narrow 
street,  a  murky  abyss  where  probable  death  waited 

190 


ALONE    IN    THE    DESERT 

him  who  slipped  from  the  frail  bridge.  At  last  he 
dropped  to  his  knees  and  cautiously  began  the  per- 
ilous passage,  realizing  now  that  he  had  indeed 
begun  a  journey  beset  with  danger. 

Twice  his  nerves  tautened  like  steel  wires  and 
twice  the  throbbing  of  his  pulses  almost  choked  him 
as  the  unevenly  balanced  timber  shook  beneath  him. 
A  gasp  of  relief  swept  over  him  as  he  finally  reached 
the  other  side  and  again  felt  solid  masonry  under 
his  feet. 

Arnak,  picking  his  way  across  the  treacherous 
bridge  with  an  almost  feline  agility,  now  led  on  over 
the  roofs  of  three  buildings,  down  into  another  inner 
courtyard,  and  finally  out  into  the  darkness  of  a 
narrow  street  which,  after  a  few  minutes'  walk, 
brought  them  to  the  beach  close  to  one  end  of  the 
city's  wall. 

''Listen,  sahib,"  said  the  Arab,  halting  here,  "the 
military  keep  careful  watch  at  night.  No  one  is 
allowed  to  depart  from  Shaliti  after  sunset.  Fifteen 
yards  away,  on  the  other  side,  two  soldiers  are  on 
guard.  Others  keep  watch  beyond  them.  Here, 
close  to  the  water,  less  vigilance  is  maintained,  for 
the  wall  projects  into  the  harbor  a  hundred  yards 
and  no  boats  are  permitted  out  after  dark.  To  es- 
cape, Arnak  and  the  sahib  must  swim  out  and  around 
to  the  other  side.  Let  the  sahib  go  first.  Arnak 
will  follow  with  the  garments." 

The  man  had  already  flung  off  his  burnous  and 

191 


THE     OSTRICH 

tossed  it  upon  a  rude  raft  which  plainly  had  been 
prepared  for  this  emergency.  Peter,  always  a  good 
swimmer,  was  not  long  in  gaining  the  other  side  of 
the  wall.  There  he  had  halted,  waist-deep  in  the 
water,  refreshed  by  the  bath  and  smiling  at  the 
thought  of  having  so  easily  and  pleasantly  outwitted 
His  Excellency,  when  the  little  raft  supporting  the 
clothes  suddenly  shot  past  him  and  he  saw  the  Arab, 
now  close  behind,  lunge  forward  with  all  his  might. 
Instantly  there  was  a  mighty  swirl  of  waves  and 
Arnak,  guiding  his  companion  by  the  arm,  gingerly 
waded  ashore,  clutching  in  his  fingers  the  handle  and 
broken  blade  of  an  Arab  knife. 

^'Itiswell!  Allah  is  good  to  the  sahib.  The  tiger 
sharks  are  hungry  for  blood.  The  white  skin  of  the 
sahib  draws  them  into  the  shallows." 

Peter  shuddered  as  he  hastily  drew  on  his  clothes. 

*'Come."  Arnak  now  strode  forward  along  the 
shore  Hne.  The  other  had  barely  finished  dressing 
and  caught  up  with  his  shadowy  form  when  sud- 
denly the  guide  halted,  stood  listening  a  minute,  and 
then  threw  himself  into  the  deep  shadows  of  the  bluff, 
at  the  same  time  dragging  Peter  down  with  him. 

^'Diable!  What  was  that!"  The  exclamations 
were  in  French. 

"Your  ears  deceive  you,  Pierre.  There  is  noth- 
ing." 

A  khaki-clad  gendarme  sprang  over  the  bank  and 
stood  outlined  in  the  starlight,  peering  up  and  down 

192 


ALONE    IN    THE    DESERT 

the  beach.  Both  the  Arab  and  Peter  held  their 
breath.  A  match  snapped,  flamed  up  and  went  out, 
leaving  behind  the  glow  of  a  burning  cigarette. 

^'You  are  right,  Jaques,  it  was  nothing."  The 
man  passed  within  five  feet  of  the  crouching  pair  and 
climbed  the  bank  again. 

*'A  Yankee  arrived  to-day  who  asked  the  governor 
for  permission  to  cross  the  desert  alone  to  hunt, 
he  said,  in  Abyssinia.  Everyone  knows  it  is  suicide 
to  travel  unaccompanied  on  the  Haud.  Singularly 
enough,  the  man  could  not  be  tricked  into  divulging 
his  real  purpose,  so  His  Excellency  forbade  him  to 
leave  the  city  except  as  he  came.  Spies  have  been 
set  to  watch  the  fellow.'' 

*'But  these  Yankees  are  very  devils  for  getting 
about,"  said  the  other  voice.  "I'll  wager  this  one 
gives  the  governor  the  slip.  What  business  he  pos- 
sibly could  have  had — "  The  voice  trailed  away 
in  the  distance. 

Without  a  word  the  two  crouching  figures  under 
the  bank  straightened  up  and  sped  along  the  shore 
line  to  where,  half  a  mile  further  on,  two  kneeling 
camels  and  a  donkey  in  charge  of  an  Arab  waited  their 
coming. 

Fifteen  minutes  later  Peter  and  Arnak  had  left  the 
camel-man  to  find  his  way  back  to  Shaliti,  and  with 
the  donkey  trailing  behind,  were  speeding  deep  into 
the  heart  of  the  desert  on  the  backs  of  their  fleet- 
footed  hygeens. 

193 


THE     O  STRICH 

For  seven  cloudless  nights  and  days  these  two  now 
played  at  hide-and-seek  with  a  succession  of  dangers 
such  as  men  seldom  encounter  at  one  time,  even  in 
the  most  remote  and  uncivilized  corners  of  the  world. 
The  murderous  attitude  which  the  southern  Bedouins 
had  assumed  toward  all  travellers  greatly  increased 
their  peril. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  march  they  crouched  for 
hours  with  the  kneeling  camels  and  carefully  hobbled 
donkey  behind  a  sheltering  knoll,  watching  the  move- 
ments of  a  troop  of  circling  horsemen,  plainly  bent 
upon  the  trail  of  some  fugitive.  Peter  suspected 
that  his  disobedience  to  the  governor's  command  had 
already  become  known.  They  usually  hid  among  the 
rocks  at  night,  thus  minimizing  the  danger  of  detec- 
tion, so  much  greater  in  the  pleasanter,  but  more 
frequented  mimosa  and  palm-tree  groves.  On  three 
dififerent  occasions  their  lonely  camping-places  were 
beset  by  bands  of  half-starved  hyenas  whose  boldness 
obliged  the  two  men  to  take  turns  keeping  guard 
during  the  entire  night.  Once  a  lioness  stalked  their 
larder  and  undoubtedly  would  have  ended  Arnak's 
career  while  he  slept,  had  not  Peter  wakened  in 
the  nick  of  time  and  sent  a  carefully  aimed  bullet 
between  the  pair  of  yellow  eyes  blazing  in  the 
darkness. 

There  was  no  moment  of  the  day  when  they  felt 
secure  from  the  nomadic  desert  pirates  who,  Arnak 
declared,   plundered   and   murdered   both    Christian 

194 


ALONE    IN    THE    DESERT 

and  Mohammedan  alike.  It  was,  indeed,  a  band  of 
these  same  fanatical  marauders  who  wrought  the 
catastrophe  which  created  a  terrible  crisis  in  Peter's 
affairs. 

Just  before  sunset  on  the  seventh  day's  march, 
when  the  peaks  of  the  Abyssinian  border  had  begun 
to  loom  out  of  the  far-off  horizon,  he  mounted  the 
donkey  and  rode  in  search  of  water  toward  a  cluster 
of  trees  a  little  over  a  mile  from  the  sheltered  ravine 
selected  by  Arnak  for  the  night's  encampment. 

The  charm  of  the  mimosa  grove,  so  cool  and  fra- 
grant after  the  long  day  of  torturous  heat,  tempted 
Peter  to  linger  beside  the  oasis  well.  The  twilight 
shadows  were  beginning  to  deepen  when  he  swung 
the  goatskin  bags  over  the  donkey's  back  and  started 
on  his  return  to  camp. 

As  he  strode  on  beside  the  patient,  little,  long-eared 
beast,  his  soul  awed  by  the  silent  immensity  of  sky 
and  wastes  and  his  mind  pondering  upon  the  problem 
of  his  strange  predicament,  the  faint  sound  of  wild 
cries,  followed  by  the  unmistakable  crack  of  a  rifle- 
shot, startled  him  to  a  realization  of  very  near  and 
actual  peril. 

He  halted  the  donkey  and  strained  his  eyes  ahead. 
Perhaps  half  the  distance  to  camp  had  been  covered, 
but  it  was  now  too  dark  to  make  out  what  was  happen- 
ing there.  He  whipped  up  the  donkey,  running  by 
the  animal's  side  until  he  could  dimly  make  out  the 
rising  edge  of  the  encampment  gully,  ahead. 

195 


THE     O  STRICH 

Since  the  rifle's  crack  he  had  heard  nothing.  The 
silence  was  ominous.  Leaving  the  animal,  Peter 
ran  swiftly  forward  and  glanced  down  into  the  shel- 
tered valley. 

It  was  empty.  Camels,  baggage,  provisions,  cook- 
ing utensils,  Arnak — all  were  gone.  He  leaped  into 
the  enclosure,  reckless  of  hidden  foes.  The  smoking 
remains  of  the  Arab  guide's  fire,  scattered  on  every 
side,  were  all  that  was  left  of  the  camp. 

He  knelt  and  scanned  the  ground.  Instead  of  the 
familiar  imprint  of  camels'  feet,  he  beheld  everywhere 
traces  of  horses'  hoofs — many  of  them — and  in  one 
place  scattered  blood  drops  stained  the  surface  of  a 
rock. 

For  a  few  minutes  he  sat  horror-stricken  at  the 
tragedy.  With  only  the  loaded,  six-chamber  re- 
volver in  his  belt,  a  donkey  and  two  skins  of  water, 
he  must  now  push  on  alone,  blindly  groping  his  way 
amid  murderous  men  and  savage  beasts  whither — 

Arnak  had  referred  to  the  foothills  and  mountains 
in  the  distance  as  a  barrier  between  them  and  Zar's 
domain.  Might  they  not  indeed  prove  an  insur- 
mountable barrier  to  such  an  impoverished  and  help- 
less traveller  as  he  now  seemed  to  be !  As  he  puzzled 
over  his  quandary,  his  fingers  came  in  contact  with 
the  talisman  which  El-Hamed,  the  wealthy  sheik 
of  the  lower  Nile,  had  given  him  so  long  ago,  and  he 
suddenly  recalled  the  old  man's  assurance: 

^'The  ring  will  protect  effendi  from  harm  and  its 

196 


ALONE    IN    THE    DESERT 

magic  charm  will  assure  the  hospitality  of  all  the 
queen's  subjects. 

*' Because  of  the  talisman,  Zar  will  come  to  meet 
effendi  at  the  boundary  of  her  country." 

The  signet  felt  warm  and  strangely  electrical  to 
his  touch.  But  he  was  no  mystic  and  he  thought 
with  sinking  heart: 

*'Must  I,  then,  be  compelled  to  trust  precious  pur- 
poses and  even  life  to  the  magical  power  ascribed  to  an 
oriental  stone?"  Sitting  awake  there,  listening  and 
staring  with  intent  and  watchful  eyes  into  the  desert 
night,  it  flashed  upon  him  that  all  his  future  and  the 
future  of  those  plans  that  had  grown  to  be  as  the 
fibre  of  his  being  now  hung  upon  the  thread  of  such 
vague  hopes  as  this  tahsman  held  forth.  It  was  too 
late  to  retrace  his  steps;  he  would  not  have  done  that 
in  any  case.  He  must  push  on,  relying  upon  fate, 
chance,  accident,  decrees  of  mysterious  words,  any 
portent  that  held  out  a  ray  of  hope. 

At  early  dawn  he  started  on  foot  towards  the  sum- 
mits ahead.  Beside  him  trudged  the  donkey,  ladened 
with  the  water-bags.  He  speculated  much  concerning 
the  fate  of  Arnak.  Hunger  overtook  him,  but  he 
pressed  his  lips  together  and  grimly  drove  it  back. 
His  thoughts  ran  ahead  to  his  meeting  with  the  much- 
praised  queen.  He  pictured  himself  greeting  her. 
Was  she  so  marvellous  after  all?  IMight  not  her 
greatness  have  been  exaggerated?  Might  she  not 
prove  disappointing? 

197 


THE     O  STRICH 

The  mountains  had  grown  much  nearer  when  at 
nightfall,  famished  and  foot-sore,  he  tethered  the 
donkey  in  one  of  the  ever-increasing  stretches  of 
woods  through  which  he  was  beginning  to  pass. 

With  much  foraging  he  secured  a  scanty  meal — his 
only  one  for  that  day — consisting  of  a  few  wild  berries 
of  an  imrecognized  species  which  he  ravenously  swal- 
lowed after  a  cautious  test  had  proven  them  harm- 
less. Swarms  of  bloodthirsty  insects  now  added  their 
tortures  to  those  of  hunger.  He  heard  the  roaring 
of  two  lions  ahead  in  the  denser  thickets,  but  by 
maintaining  the  fire  which  he  had  built  to  drive 
away  the  villanous  winged  pests  he  felt  that  he 
would  be  comparatively  safe  from  wild  beasts. 

At  last  from  sheer  exhaustion,  and  in  spite  of 
troubles  of  mind  and  body,  he  fell  into  a  light  slumber; 
but  a  little  after  midnight  a  blood-curdling  braying 
by  the  donkey,  that  had  been  tied  to  a  nearby  sapling, 
brought  him  quickly  to  his  feet.  Almost  before  he 
could  gather  his  scattered  senses  the  animal's  bellow- 
ing was  drowned  in  the  thunderous  roar  of  an  Abys- 
sinian lion. 

A  single  stick  still  flamed  in  the  bed  of  glowing 
coals.  Snatching  it  up  as  a  torch  and  drawing  his 
revolver,  Peter  dashed  in  the  direction  of  the  uproar 
only  to  discover,  much  to  his  chagrin,  that  he  had 
arrived  too  late  to  rescue  the  unfortunate  mule.  For 
as  the  blazing  brand,  flung  forward,  sent  the  huge 
forms  of  a  snarling  lion  and  lioness  slinking  into  an 

198 


ALONE     IN     THE     DESERT 

adjacent  thicket,  he  perceived  his  little  four-footed 
companion  lying  lifeless  on  the  ground. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  night  he  sat  awake  near 
the  fire,  his  thoughts  filled  with  many  forebodings. 
Behind  lay  the  desert;  ahead  were  vast  stretches 
of  jungle  beset  with  perils,  even  for  the  forest-bred 
savages;  beyond  those  fastnesses  was  the  towering 
mountain  range.  Of  the  route  to  Zar's  kingdom  he 
knew  nothing.  But  a  strength  of  purpose  which  he 
instinctively  felt  was  stronger  than  himself  possessed 
him  and  conquered  the  despair  which  beset  him  in 
those  dark  hours. 

The  early  gray  of  dawn  found  him  searching  the 
dense  woods  for  more  life-sustaining  berries.  At 
sunrise,  with  a  water-bag  slung  over  his  shoulders, 
he  was  beating  his  way  through  the  lowland  under- 
growth and  amid  serpent-haunted  jungle  paths 
towards  the  peaks  ahead. 

When,  gaunt-cheeked  and  foot-sore,  he  approached 
the  more  elevated  country,  he  frequently  caught 
ghmpses  of  herds  of  antelope  and  gazelle,  and  late 
in  the  afternoon  he  burst  suddenly  upon  a  young  tetel, 
devouring  the  leaves  of  a  bush  less  than  ten  yards 
away.  Heedless  of  all  now  save  the  cravings  of  him- 
ger,  he  took  hasty  aim  with  his  revolver  and  fired. 

But  hardly  had  the  sound  of  the  shot  echoed  across 
the  httle  wooded  plateau  where  he  stood,  when  the 
giant  figure  of  a  man  clad  in  a  neat-fitting  khaki  suit 
and  helmet  of  the  same  material  stepped  from  behind 

199 


THE    OSTRICH 

a  nearby  tree  and  advanced  toward  Peter,  saying  in 
good  English  as  he  nodded  toward  the  dead  animal: 

*'A  good  shot,  white  man!" 

For  a  moment  Peter  could  only  stare  in  amazement. 
He  even  pinched  himself  to  make  sure  that  hunger 
had  not  bereft  him  of  his  senses. 

''Our  Zar  has  long  expected  thy  coming,"  the  man 
continued.  ''Many  men  scour  the  woods  in  all 
directions  seeking  thee.  Follow  Tamaran  and  thou 
shalt  soon  behold  the  queen." 

An  hour  later,  ragged,  fatigued,  famished  and  with 
his  face  and  hands  bearing  blood-stained  witness  of 
the  hardships  of  his  wanderings,  but  with  high- 
beating  heart,  Peter  Rutledge,  accompanying  his 
strange  guide,  stepped  into  a  great  forest  clearing 
where  lay  the  encampment  of  Queen  Zar. 

Never  before  had  Anglo-Saxon  beheld  a  scene  in 
the  heart  of  the  African  wilds  like  that  which  spread 
itself  before  him. 

Forming  a  semicircle  about  the  open  space,  stood 
a  white  city  of  tents  of  varying  sizes  from  the  pin- 
nacle of  each  of  which  floated  a  silken  flag  with  an 
emblem  representing  two  hands  clasping  in  the  centre 
of  a  field  of  gold.  In  all  directions  ghmmered  pun- 
gent campfires  about  which  men,  in  stature  and  attire 
resembling  Peter's  guide,  busied  themselves  over 
steaming  kettles  or  smoking  spits  of  food.  Others 
were  arranging  long  tables  upon  wooden  horses,  or 
spreading  those  already  set  up  with  white  cloths  and 

200 


ALONE    IN    THE    DESERT 

modern  eating  utensils.  Before  several  tent-openings 
in  the  centre,  giant  Amazons  sat  leisurely  at  work, 
some  sewing  or  weaving,  others  plying  spinning- 
wheels  not  unlike  those  which  Peter's  ancestors  had 
brought  from  Holland  to  Manhattan  two  centuries 
before. 

So  amazed  was  Peter  at  this  spectacle  that  he  had 
quite  forgotten  his  own  dishevelled  predicament 
when  he  beheld  a  woman  emerging  from  a  tent  set 
a  little  apart  in  the  centre  of  the  half-ring,  the  sight 
of  whose  stately  mien  and  features  glowing  with  sun- 
warmed  tints,  instantly  caught  his  attention  and  held 
him  spellbound  with  admiration. 

"It  is  the  great  queen,"  he  thought,  and  before  Zar 
spoke,  and  while  he  was  advancing  with  much-bat- 
tered helmet  in  one  hand,  he  felt  an  acceleration  of 
his  tired  pulses  and  a  sudden,  strange  thrill  of  awe 
at  the  wonder  of  her  noble  presence. 


201 


XVI 

THE  GREAT  QUEEN 

Never  had  he  beheld  a  face  that  irradiated  such 
strength  of  character  as  did  Zar's.  Her  wide-set, 
serene,  gray  eyes  mirrored  a  look  of  conscious  power. 
He  felt  the  nearness  of  a  mind,  all-wise  and  prophetic. 
The  tranquil  bearing  of  her  regal  figure,  robed  in  a 
grecianly  girdled  gown  of  white,  seemed  an  idealist's 
conception  of  feminine  grace.  He  knew  at  once  that 
had  others  of  his  kind  been  there,  they  too  in  a  single 
glance  would  have  interpreted  Zar  as  a  woman  of 
marvellous  qualities. 

Suddenly  a  fleeting  something  in  the  poise  of  her 
head  caused  him  to  wonder  how  old  she  might  be 
above  the  clear  white  of  whose  forehead  tumbling 
masses  of  hair,  that  refused  to  be  brushed  back,  still 
retained  their  sun-colored  tints.  She  seemed  young 
and  yet,  as  paradoxical  as  the  thought  might  be,  he 
felt  that  she  was  old — much  older  than  himself,  much 
older  than  any  of  those  about  her. 

He  was  perplexed;  he  was  impressed,  too.  The 
reverence  which  the  old  sheik,  El-Hamed,  had  shown 
for  her  no  longer  seemed  strange  to  Peter.  It  was 
not  now  amazing  that  the  sight  of  her  signet  ring 

202 


THE    GREAT    QUEEN 

upon  his  finger  had  at  once  won  the  loyalty  of  the 
ill-fated  Arnak.  Instinctively,  Peter  divined  that  he 
also  was  destined  to  plight  fealty  to  this  remarkable 

queen. 

He  had  forgotten  his  weariness  of  body  when  she 

spoke: 

''Welcome,  my  friend!  Thou  art  expected."  A 
strong,  white  hand  was  stretched  toward  him.  He 
felt  both  sympathy  and  gentleness  in  the  tones  of 
her  voice.  Again  he  marvelled  at  the  sound  of  Eng- 
lish, perfectly  enunciated. 

''Your  majesty,"  he  said,  kneeling  and  touching  her 
slim  fingers  with  his  lips,  "I  have  come  a  long  way 
to  find  you,  over  the  seas  and  across  the  desert.  I 
seek  your  aid  in  a  great  task.  Behold  this  token, 
your  talisman  given  me  by  the  sheik,  El-Hamed, 
which  he  promised  should  win  me  your  interest." 
He  held  up  his  right  hand  on  the  second  finger  of 
which  glowed  the  red  stone  of  the  mystic  ring. 

"Rise,  my  friend,  and  kneel  no  more  to  Zar. 
Thou  art  not  less  than  she,  nor  she  than  thee;  we 
are  all  friends  here."  As  she  spoke  she  drew  back 
the  hand  that  he  had  kissed,  saying  as  she  did  so: 

"Thou  hast  encountered  many  dangers  and  en- 
dured many  hardships.  To-night  thou  wilt  satisfy 
thy  hunger  and  rest.  To-morrow  when  thou  art  re- 
freshed, we  shall  journey  together  back  to  the  city 
of  my  people.  There  we  will  discuss  much  that  thou 
wouldst  learn.     I,  too,  have  much  to  tell  thee,  my 

203 


THE     O  STRICH 

friend — thoughts  that  lie  close  to  my  heart  and 
which  it  shall  be  thy  special  mission  to  carry  back 
to  thy  people  across  the  water.  But  thy  immediate 
comfort  and  well-being  is  now  our  first  care.  Yonder 
tent  is  thine  and  our  Tamaran  who  brought  thee 
hither  shall  attend  to  thy  wants."  She  pointed 
toward  one  of  the  smaller  shelters. 

''Your  majesty,  before  I  say  good-night  I  would 
ask  a  question.  I  am,  indeed,  curious.  What  sig- 
nifies the  flag  flying  from  the  tents?  I  have  seen 
many  banners,  but  none  before  like  this."  He 
pointed  towards  the  nearest  emblem  as  he  spoke. 

''Our  flag  stands  for  a  great  purpose,"  she  replied; 
*'an  idea  that  one  day  shall  actuate  all  men  and 
women  in  their  daily  lives  and  hopes.  It  is  the 
token  of  the  brotherhood  of  man." 

During  and  after  a  refreshing  bath  and  a  supper  of 
venison  and  wheat  cakes,  and  even  as  he  sank  to 
sleep  amid  his  novel  surroundings,  this  last  response 
of  the  queen  recurred  again  and  again  to  his  thoughts. 

The  brotherhood  of  man!  Could  the  significance 
of  that  shibboleth,  then,  be  clear  to  these  people  and 
to  this  remarkable  queen,  here  in  darkest  Africa  as 
it  was  called?  It  was  the  incentive  of  his  own  pur- 
poses— the  brotherhood  of  man;  its  call  had  brought 
him  here  into  the  forest  wilds.  He  fell  asleep,  won- 
dering. 

Tamaran 's  English  broke  in  upon  his  dreams  the 
next  day  at  dawTi: 

204 


THE    GREAT    QUEEN 

"Our  Zar  sends  for  thee,  white  man.    We  begin 
the  march  to  Trebut  in  an  hour." 

"How  does  it  happen  that  you  speak  EngHsh?" 
asked  Peter. 

"Our  queen  sent  Tamaran  and  other  Rhadanians 
to  England  when  all  of  us  were  boys.  We  were 
educated  there  and  learned  the  ways  of  the  English 
and  their  speech.  There  we  also  learned  the  trades, 
each  one  a  different  trade,  and  one  that  would  be 
useful  in  this  country.  Now  all  except  the  older 
people  are  being  taught  the  language  in  the  schools." 
Peter  stared  at  the  giant. 

"In  the  schools?"  He  wondered  whether  he  had 
heard  aright. 

"We  have  good  schools  in  Rhadan,"  the  other 
answered.  "Our  Zar  started  them  many  years  ago, 
before  Tamaran's  day,  before  the  day  of  those  much 
older  than  Tamaran." 

Here  indeed  was  a  new  marvel.  While  he  sat  at 
the  breakfast  brought  him  by  the  servant,  a  multi- 
tude of  queries  beset  Peter's  mind: 

Who  was  this  white  queen  who  taught  a  savage 
tribe  civilized  ways  and  whose  wisdom  even  the 
Arabs  of  the  desert  acknowledged  and  respected? 
He  thought  again  of  the  two  hands  joined  fraternally, 
signifying  brotherhood.  It  was  all  incredible  and 
yet  it  was  real.  He  felt  himself  a  discoverer  who  had 
come  upon  an  unexpected  and  wonderful  thing — a 
new  and  undreamed  of  type  of  civilization. 

205 


THE     OSTRICH 

Had  this  Zar,  seemingly  so  untouched  by  age, 
yet  indefinably  old,  somehow  learned  the  answer  to 
the  question  of  the  ages?  Were  her  people  being  led 
from  savagery  to  enlightenment  and  culture  by  the 
application  of  that  knowledge?  Profound  wonder 
filled  Peter's  thoughts.  He  had  already  become  con- 
vinced that  poverty  could  be  cured,  that  working 
together  men  could  lift  themselves  up  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  happiness  and  universal  well-being.  Was  he 
to  find  here  an  object-lesson  that  would  enable  him 
to  end  his  wanderings  and  begin  the  ultimate  accom- 
plishment of  his  mission? 

Suddenly  the  conviction  that  success  was  to  crown 
his  efforts  dominated  him.  He  was  lifted  up,  exhila- 
rated, made  hopeful. 

Final  preparations  for  breaking  camp  were  going 
on  as  he  stepped  from  his  tent.  The  mules  and 
camels  required  to  transport  the  camp  paraphernalia 
and  equipage  made  up  a  great  caravan.  Already 
the  plain  had  been  swept  of  all  its  tents  except  his 
own  and  those  of  the  queen  and  a  few  of  the  women. 

As  Tamaran  and  a  companion  appeared  leading 
two  richly  caparisoned  mules,  Zar  stepped  forth  ready 
for  her  journey.  Though  still  in  white,  the  shortness 
of  her  riding  attire  showed  her  silken-clad  feet  shod 
with  sandals  of  plaited  straw  secured  with  straps  of 
silver  braid.  About  her  head  was  wrapped  a  turban 
of  v/hite  interwoven  with  threads  of  gold. 

As  Peter  stood  there  marvelling  at  her  great  beauty 

206 


THE     GREAT     QUEEN 

and  the  repose  of  her  bearing,  she  caught  sight  of  him 
and  waved  a  beckoning  hand. 

*^Wilt  thou  mount  with  me,  my  friend?"  she 
asked  as  he  came  up.  ^'Our  Tamaran  and  our  Zoeb 
shall  accompany  us  in  advance  of  the  caravan  and 
thus,  less  disturbed,  we  may  discourse  during  the 
journey  to  Trebut."  As  she  spoke,  she  seated  her- 
self on  a  stalwart  little  mule  and  started  forward. 
A  few  minutes  later  Peter  was  riding  beside  her 
through  the  solitudes  of  a  moimtain  defile. 

"Your  majesty,"  he  began,  but  her  hand,  raised 
in  gentle  admonition,  interrupted  him. 

"Shall  we  not  make  a  better  beginning  than  that?" 
she  asked.  "To  mine  own  people  in  this  remote 
country,  I  am  still  queen.  But  to  thee  who  comes t 
from  a  land  where  civilization  is  older,  let  me  be  sister, 
one  equal  with  thee,  who  loves  thee  and  cherishes 
thee.  Thou  art  indeed  my  brother.  For  are  we  not 
all  brothers  and  sisters,  children  of  the  same  god- 
like source,  watched  over  and  guided  by  the  same 
great  and  all- wise  spirit  of  good!  As  the  snow 
vanishes  beneath  the  warm  rays  of  the  sun,  false 
distinctions  between  man  and  man  will  disappear 
when  the  true  understanding  of  life  begins  to  pre- 
vail." 

"My  sister,"  he  began,  marvelling  more  and  more 
at  her  wisdom,  "how  was  it  that  you  were  waiting 
here  for  me  when  I  came  to  the  borders  of  this  land? 
El-Hamed  long  ago  predicted  that  it  would  be  so. 

207 


THE     O  STRICH 

Yet  I  am  puzzled.  By  stealth  I  escaped  from  Shaliti. 
Since  then  I  have  travelled  like  a  fugitive,  hiding  and 
fleeing  and  always  endeavoring  to  escape  detection. 
How  could  you  know  of  my  approach?  " 

"Hast  thou  never  beheved  in  the  deeper  visions?" 
she  asked  by  way  of  reply.  ''There  are  certain  sub- 
conscious pulsations  of  the  inner  self  that  men  too 
often  confound  with  impulse  or  with  instinct.  To  me 
those  deeper  visions  are  real  and  as  plain  to  read  as 
the  simpler  thoughts  of  the  mind.  An  inner  voice 
speaking  to  me  foretold  thy  coming.  Years  ago  that 
voice  was  vague  and  indistinct,  but  as  time  passed 
it  grew  clearer.  Long  ago  I  instructed  my  people 
to  keep  watch  for  thee.  Month  by  month  the  pre- 
monition of  thy  coming  grew  stronger  until,  three 
days  since,  I  was  impelled  to  take  my  hunters  and 
come  in  search  of  thee.     I  knew  I  should  find  thee." 

''Such  things  savor  of  the  mystical,  my  sister," 
said  Peter.  "As  yet  we  trust  Httle  to  those  psychic 
forces  in  my  country,  though  I  beheve  that  interest 
in  the  power  of  subconscious  thought  is  increasing." 

"The  great  mass  of  people  are  not  yet  prepared  for 
the  weightier  responsibility  toward  others  that  the 
gift  of  this  inner  voice  entails,"  she  replied.  "But 
it  will  become  the  precious  endowment  of  every  soul 
in  the  centuries  to  come." 

They  were  now  riding  over  a  broad  plateau. 
"These  are  the  boundaries  of  Rhadan,"  she  said, 
pointing  to  a  long  border  of  trees  through  which  they 

208 


THE    GREAT    QUEEN 

had  just  passed.  "Eight  leagues  beyond  lies  Trebut. 
There  we  will  talk  of  the  practical  purpose  that 
brought  thee  hither." 

"That  is  briefly  told,"  he  said.  "I  come  in  search 
of  the  ostrich,  and  to  beg  you  to  tell  me  of  it." 

In  her  eyes  suddenly  dawned  the  Hght  of  a  deep 
emotion,  as  if  his  reply  had  kindled  a  great  hope. 

''So,  then,  thou  hast  heard  the  great  and  mighty 
Call  of  the  Ages,  my  brother?  And  thou  hast  braved 
dangers  and  valiantly  faced  death  to  respond  to  the 
call?  It  is  well!  Thou  shalt  not  regret  it!  Those 
to  whom  thou  returnest  shall  likewise  profit  immeasur- 
ably by  thy  endeavor." 

Again  Peter's  mind  was  filled  with  a  tumult  of 
bewildermg  thoughts.  She  knew,  then,  this  Call  of 
the  Ages.     It  seemed  supernatural. 

"Much  indeed  will  Zar  tell  thee  of  the  ostrich," 
he  heard  her  saying;  "for  this  bird  is  destined  to 
establish  a  new  order  of  things.  I  will  send  thee  on 
thy  way  with  as  many  ostriches  as  will  wholly  suffice 
to  fulfil  the  bird's  purpose  and  thine." 

"Will  it  require  long  to  do  all  this?"    he  asked 

eagerly. 

She  was  quick  to  note  his  seeming  impatience. 

"The  restlessness  of  thy  spirit  is  pardonable,  my 
brother,  for,  if  thou  didst  but  know  it,  thy  return  is 
waited  by  many  to  whom  the  possessionship  of  these 
precious  birds  will  prove  the  beginning  of  an  un- 
dreamed of  era  of  prosperity  and  happiness.  ,  Haste 

209 


THE     OSTRICH 

is  further  to  be  desired  because  the  difficulties  of 
getting  out  of  Africa  with  the  birds  increase  with 
every  week.  Thou  shalt  remain  in  Trebut  until 
Zar  hath  gathered  together  a  caravan  and  found  a 
way  for  thee  to  conveniently  transport  the  birds 
from  the  forest.  Then  thou  shalt  set  forth  on  the 
hunt.    The  delay  will  not  be  long. 

''But  tell  me,"  she  asked,  "how  earnest  thou,  my 
brother,  upon  the  secret  of  the  great  possibilities  of 
the  desert  bird?  El-Hamed  is  indeed  a  wise  old  man, 
one  of  the  few  followers  of  the  true  teachings  of  the 
great  Mahomet.  Long  years  ago  much  knowledge 
of  his  earnest  work  among  the  misguided  desert  races 
came  to  my  ears,  and  I  sent  him  the  signet  ring  as  a 
sign  of  my  approval.  He  prized  it  greatly.  Thou 
must  have  served  him  well  to  have  gained  so  dear  a 

gift." 

''A  madman  would  have  slain  him,  but  I  was  there 
and  prevented  it,'*  said  Peter. 

''Thou  art  modest,  my  brother.  I  pray  you, 
relate  fully  how  thou  didst  succor  El-Hamed  and 
what  other  happenings  preceded  thy  coming  hither? 
Thus  we  may  the  better  understand  each  other's  heart 
and  mind.  That  Zar  may  know  what  thou  wilt  be, 
let  her  know  what  thou  hast  done." 

Obediently  Peter  recited  what  had  occurred  since 
that  momentous  evening  in  Jerusalem  when  the 
inspired  message  fell  from  Ann  Newman's  lips  upon 
his  ears.     A  deep  and  absorbing  interest  shone  in  the 

2IO 


THE     GREAT     QUEEN 

queen's  eyes  as  he  proceeded.  Sorrow  and  joy,  like 
shadow  and  sunlight,  found  reflection  there  as  the 
story  unfolded.  Peter  saw  that  she,  too,  wept  over 
the  wrongs  of  others  and  sympathized  with  their 
joys,  and  he  was  profoundly  moved. 

He  had  barely  completed  his  story  when  they 
emerged  from  the  forest  and  he  saw  that  they  now 
rode  upon  a  smooth,  well-kept  road  which,  a  little 
way  ahead,  ran  between  handsome  and  intelligently 
built  dwellings  of  timber  and  stone.  He  stared  in 
amazement. 

^^My  brother,"  said  the  queen,  divining  his 
thoughts,  "yonder  is  Trebut,  Zar's  home  and  that 
of  many  of  her  people.  The  dwellings  that  thou 
seest  are  perhaps  not  imlike  those  in  thine  own  land. 
Comforts  and  many  of  the  simple  luxuries  of  life  all 
have  been  provided  for  us  here,  as  thou  shalt  presently 
see.  I  think  thou  wilt  wonder  much  at  the  progress 
of  my  people,  but  when  thou  doest  so  remember 
that  fellowship  between  man  and  man  and  the  prin- 
ciple of  self-help  and  mutual  co-operation  have 
wrought  all  that  seems  strange.  Here  the  effort 
of  a  few  years  has  accomplished  what  the  rest  of  the 
world  is  taking  centuries  to  achieve,  because  our 
effort  has  been  rightly  directed.  Zar's  people  once 
lived  in  the  most  abject  ignorance. 

^'Dost  know  that  thou  art  the  first  white  man 
upon  whose  face  I  have  ever  looked?"  she  asked. 
"It  is  truly  good  to  behold  thee,  my  brother,  and 

211 


THE     O  STRICH 

pleasing  to  hear  thy  voice.  A  multitude  of  truths 
crowd  my  mind;  the  story  of  thy  search  for  a  means 
of  helping  others  has  stirred  the  depths  of  my  being. 
After  thou  hast  rested,  our  Melu  will  conduct  thee  to 
the  great  hall  in  the  palace.  There  we  will  talk 
together." 

At  last  they  drew  rein  at  an  arching  gateway  in  a 
low,  wooden  wall  beyond  which  rose  the  red-tiled 
roof  of  a  spreading  two-story  structure  of  stone  and 
wood.  An  Arab  boy  with  curly  hair  and  alert  face 
sprang  forward  in  obedience  to  the  queen's  gesture. 

^'Show  the  sahib  to  the  room  in  the  west  wing 
overlooking  the  courtyard  and  attend  closely  to  his 
bidding,  my  Melu,"  she  said. 

A  smile  of  pleasure  displayed  the  youth's  twin  rows 
of  glistening,  wliite  teeth. 

''  It  is  forever  as  your  majesty,  our  Zar,  commands." 
He  bowed  with  much  native  grace  and,  turning  to 
Peter,  motioned  respectfully  toward  the  gate.  Thus 
as  Tamaran  and  Zoeb  led  away  the  mules  Peter 
passed  into  the  vast,  fenced-in  area  which  answered 
to  the  name  of  the  courtyard  to  the  queen's  palace 
at  Trebut. 

Though  the  exterior  appearance  of  the  city's 
dwellings  had  impressed  him  much,  he  was  doubly 
amazed  at  the  masterful  accom_plishments  of  Zar's 
subjects,  as  his  eyes  took  in  the  interior  of  this  taste- 
ful, roomy,  awning- windowed  structure  with  its  mysti- 
fying maze  of  airy  corridors  and  living  apartments 

212 


THE     GREAT     QUEEN 

and  its  enchantment  of  simple,  yet  singularly  har- 
monious works  of  art,  costly  rugs  and  handsome  fur- 
niture. 

The  room  into  which  Melu  finally  conducted  him 
was  a  high-ceihnged  apartment  overlooking  the  rear 
of  the  palace  grounds.  Happening  to  glance  out  of 
one  of  the  windows,  he  noticed  a  number  of  natives, 
evidently  citizens  of  the  place  or  else  planters  from 
the  outlying  country,  some  leading  mules  or  camels, 
coming  from  a  huge  and  imusually  massive  building 
which  stood  in  plain  view.    . 

''What  is  all  that?"  he  asked. 

"It  is  one  of  the  great  stores,  sahib,  at  which  the 
people  procure  what  they  desire  to  Hve  by." 

"And  what  do  they  sell  there?" 

"Everything  that  is  needed,"  replied  the  youth. 

As  Peter  changed  to  the  cool,  white  hnen  which 
the  Arab  brought  him,  and  stretched  himself  out  in 
a  wicker  chair  where  he  could  look  out  on  the  scene 
of  these  people  visiting  their  storehouse,  he  realized 
that  he  had  indeed  come  upon  a  situation  without 
parallel  in  the  world.  His  mind  was  besieged  by  a 
thousand  questions  each  of  which  was  seeking  for 
a  reply  when,  in  response  to  a  royal  summons,  he 
rose,  followed  Melu  through  the  palace  again  and 
entered  the  room  of  state  of  Her  Majesty  of 
Rhadan. 

It  was  a  large  apartment,  unusually  long  and  wide, 
in   which   rafters   of   mahogany   and   an   enormous, 

213 


THE     OSTRICH 

high-mantled  fireplace  built  in  the  centre  of  one  side 
lent  to  it  the  atmosphere  of  an  old  colonial  hall  of 
justice.  Light,  stuccoed  walls  and  rug-strewn  floor 
enhanced  the  freshness,  simplicity  and  inviting  com- 
fort of  the  place. 

Around  three  walls  of  this  apartment  stood  a  hun- 
dred or  more  chairs  of  mahogany  and  wicker.  On 
the  fourth  side,  at  the  end,  where  the  hght  from  two 
enormous  windows  streamed  in  on  either  side,  stood 
a  high,  stiff-backed,  mahogany  arm-chair  in  which, 
upon  a  snuff-colored  silk  cushion,  sat  Zar,  still  in 
white,  with  her  feet  resting  upon  a  velvet  hassock. 
Several  chairs  were  scattered  about  near  her  own  and 
a  few  steps  down  the  room,  and  running  widthwise  of 
it,  stood  a  low,  but  ample-topped,  mahogany  table 
well  Uttered  with  papers  and  other  writing  material. 
Against  one  corner  of  this  table  leaned  a  rather  old 
and  sHghtly  gray-haired  Bedouin  Arab. 

The  queen  was  looking  toward  Peter  as  he  ap- 
proached. 

"My  brother,"  she  said,  finally  breaking  the  silence, 
"behold  our  great  Ras  Jemel,  a  wonderful  hunter 
and  a  brave  man  whom  we  love  much.  He  tells  us 
that  there  is  great  danger  in  setting  out  after  the 
ostrich." 

Peter  thrust  out  a  friendly  hand. 

"We  will  conquer  all  those  dangers,  Ras  Jemel," 
he  said  earnestly.  "We  must  go,  in  spite  of  perils. 
I  could  not  turn  back  now." 

214 


THE     GREAT    QUEEN 

The  old  man's  eyes  clung  intently  to  Peter's 
features  for  a  moment.     Then  turning  to  Zar  again, 

he  said: 

''Your  Majesty,  it  shall  be  as  you  bid;  Ras  Jemel 
will  collect  a  hundred  hygeens  and  have  built  many 
large  cases  for  the  easy  conveyance  of  the  birds." 
He  looked  at  Peter  once  more : 

''It  shall  be  done  quickly,  sahib,"  and  with  a  last 
scrutinizing  glance  at  the  American,  he  bowed  and 

withdrew. 

As  the  door  swung  softly  together  behind  him, 
Peter  looked  toward  Zar,  intent  upon  fathoming  the 
mystery  of  a  condition  of  affairs  which,  while  it  grew 
more  amazing  with  every  hour  of  his  residence  here, 
seemed  to  conform  closely  to  his  own  ideal  of  a  so- 
ciety in  which  neither  poverty  nor  the  sin  of  great 
riches  could  endure. 


2IS 


xvn 

ZAR'S  PHILOSOPHY 

Her  first  words  thrilled  him  with  a  sense  of  her 
strange  divinative  power: 

''Be  seated,  my  brother,  and  Zar  will  make  clear 
these  perplexities  which  beset  thee." 

"How  can  you  read  my  thoughts  so  easily?"  he 
asked  as  he  drew  up  a  chair  quite  near  and  facing 
her. 

She  began  speaking,  slowly  at  first,  not  looking  at 
him  but  unconsciously  staring  straight  ahead  as  a 
person  might  if  swayed  by  a  deep  inner  concentra- 
tion: 

"Those  of  us  who  have  not  learned  to  see  clearly 
walk  ever  in  the  midst  of  secrets.  Once  we  fathom 
our  subconscious  selves  and  that  veil  of  mystery  is 
lifted.  The  deeper  the  mind  penetrates,  the  clearer 
it  becomes.  Thy  thoughts  are  not  difficult  to  trans- 
late. 

"Thou  dost  not  guess  how  long  Zar  hath  dwelt 
with  these  people  of  the  forest,  her  book  of  life  their 
simple  faces.  Long  ago  she  learned  to  transcribe  un- 
spoken desires  and  emotions  and  the  hidden  impulses 
of  one  of  her  own  in  a  single  glance.     Is  it  a  task 

216 


ZAR'S    PHILOSOPHY 

so  much  greater  to  thus  interpret  the  thoughts  of 
our  brother  who  comes  from  another  land?  Hast 
thou  never  heard  that  one  need  not  go  beyond  his 
door  to  know  the  world?  In  this  isolated  spot  Zar 
hath  learned  truths  that  fit  into  the  lives  of  men  and 
women  everywhere.    Thou  too  shalt  know  them." 

Peter  leaned  forward. 

''I  am  amazed  at  the  things  I  see,"  he  said.  "Here 
is  a  race  reputed  to  be  ignorant  and  bloodthirsty 
living  in  what  appears  to  be  the  true  enjoyment  of 
life,  possessing  modernly  built  dwellings,  good  roads, 
schools  and  stores,  and  going  about  modernly  attired. 
It  is  incredible!  How  came  this  culture  of  theirs 
and  of  yours,  my  sister?  What  is  the  secret  of  its 
being?" 

Her  eyes  lighted  as  she  spoke : 

"The  principle  that  has  lifted  the  savage  man  here 
from  degradation  to  intelligent  achievement  is  the 
key  to  the  future  enjoyment  of  life  and  usefulness  of 
thine  own  people  and  of  all  mankind.  It  is  the 
principle  that  creates  a  society  founded  upon  a  truth 
—  not  a  half-truth,  nor  an  evasion,  nor  a  shadow  of 
the  real,  but  a  simple  and  plain  verity  as  perfect 
as  refined  gold.  It  is  the  principle  of  loving  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself  and  of  expressing  that  love  in 
practical  co-operation  between  man  and  man.  It  is 
the  principle  which  rouses  the  inner  self  in  each 
human  being  to  a  sense  of  self-appreciation  and  to 
a  desire  to  unite  and  to  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder  in 

217 


THE     O  STRICH 

harmony  with  other  men,  for  the  highest  attainment 
of  Hving. 

*  ^  To-morrow  thou  wilt  walk  through  Trebu t .  Then 
thou  wilt  see  an  ideal  condition  of  society  founded 
on  the  practice  of  this  principle.  We  have  skilled 
workers  here,  artisans  of  many  types,  carpenters, 
masons,  road-builders,  tanners,  weavers  and  dyers 
besides  the  great  number  of  trained  men  who  farm  and 
herd  the  flocks.  All  our  children  are  sent  to  school 
and  each  one  is  left  to  choose,  according  to  inherent 
tendencies  and  inclination,  the  vocation  that  he  pre- 
fers.'' 

"What  of  your  indolent  and  poor?"  asked  Peter. 

''The  fear  that  accompanies  poverty  does  not  exist 
here  because  there  are  no  poor.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  intrinsic  abilities  of  individuals  diminishes 
continually  under  co-operation  and  a  right  system 
of  education.  When  men  receive  all  the  benefits 
of  their  labor,  it  requires  but  little  labor  for  each  to 
live  in  plenty.  The  drones,  the  incompetents  and  the 
sluggards  soon  disappear  from  a  society  whose  mem- 
bers not  only  are  not  impeded  by  poverty  but  are 
inspired  by  the  many  blessings  which  co-operation 
brings." 

"Writers  in  my  country  have  depicted  such  a  con- 
dition of  society  but  many  people  call  them  Uto- 
pians," said  Peter;  "and  yet,"  he  added,  "there  is 
growing  up  a  tendency  toward  the  belief  that  co-op- 
erative effort  will  some  day  prove  the  salvation  of 

218 


ZAR'S     PHILO  SOPHY 

the  world.  I  can  scarcely  believe  that  you  have  ac- 
complished what  my  own  countrymen  have  hardly 
begun  to  think  seriously  about." 

"Perhaps  thou  canst  understand  the  significance 
of  the  picture  that  rises  before  me,"  said  Zar.  *'I 
see  vast  armies  of  poverty-stricken  wretches  so 
enslaved  by  a  prolonged  tyranny  of  plunder  and  so 
blinded  by  the  low  order  of  morals  begotten  by  the 
process  of  their  own  subjugation  that  they  and  their 
masters  no  longer  realize  the  value  of  a  single  high 
principle  of  life.  I  see  the  many  who  have  grown 
rich  by  constant  cheating.  I  see  a  society,  the  entire 
business  fabric  of  which  is  interwoven  with  false- 
hood. I  see  a  world-wide  army  of  men  of  both  high 
and  low  degree  daily  resorting  to  trickery,  subterfuge 
and  a  thousand  and  one  petty  artifices  to  make  gain 
at  the  expense  of  others.  From  the  plunderer  of 
colossal  wealth  to  the  shivering  and  hungry  outcast, 
men  practise  this  philosophy  of  pillage.  It  is  a  phi- 
losophy that  poisons  right  thinking  and  all  the  virtues 
of  the  soul,  and  wherever  it  prevails  human  beings 
are  degraded  and  enslaved.  Only  when  truth  stands 
chief,  not  least,  among  the  cardinal  virtues,  and 
when  it  is  realized  that  the  uplifting  of  the  many 
lies  in  the  necessity  for  each  one  to  first  seek  to  better 
himself,  shall  poverty  give  place  to  an  equity  of  peace 
and  happiness  for  all.  Then  shall  men  advance  up- 
ward together."  In  her  earnestness  she  had  leaned 
slightly  forward  and  now  a  waning  ray  of  sunlight 

219 


THE     OSTRICH 

fell  upon  her  face  and  drove  the  shadows  from  it. 
She  was  as  one  inspired  to  the  man  near  her. 

*' Listen,  my  brother,"  she  went  on.  "As  thy 
heart  hath  sorrowed  over  the  forlorn,  the  poor  and 
the  helpless  of  thy  country,  so  Zar  hath  wept  for 
those  about  her — the  thousands  of  ignorant  and 
savage  people  beyond  the  borders  of  Rhadan  who  have 
set  themselves  against  all  her  endeavors  to  teach 
them  better  methods  of  living.  They  are  all  close 
and  dear  to  me.  I  would  have  them  turn  to  better 
ways  of  life  but  they  are  obstinate.  Yet  thy  people 
and  all  civilized  nations  everywhere  who  persist  in 
living  in  darkness  are  equally  at  fault.  For  do  not 
such  deliberately  refuse  what  is  best  day  after  day 
and  year  after  year?  Is  not  their  sin  even  greater, 
indeed,  than  that  of  the  African  savage  because  of 
the  latter's  lesser  advantages? 

'"Think  for  thyself  and  love  thy  neighbor'  was  the 
first  precept  which  I  taught  my  people.  That  injunc- 
tion shalt  thou  also  proclaim  broadcast,  that  it  may 
become  the  summons  to  a  new  and  higher  hfe  every- 
where." 

Peter  was  sitting  rigidly  erect,  all  his  senses  intent 
upon  her  words. 

*'0  marvellous  sister,"  he  exclaimed,  "how  came 
you  by  such  a  power  of  truth?  Where  in  wilds  like 
these  is  hidden  such  wisdom  concerning  right  living?" 

Quickly  her  answer  came: 

"Beyond  me,  about  me  everywhere  are  spirits  that 

220 


ZAR'S     PHILO  S  OPH  Y 

continually  overrule  my  thoughts.  They  are  about 
thee  too  my  brother.  They  pervade  every  walk 
of  life  and  every  grade  of  men.  They  are  constantly 
seeking  to  bring  about  reforms,  to  waken  humanity 
to  higher  thoughts  and  to  a  higher  consciousness  of 
good.  Hast  thou  never  felt  their  influence  in  thine 
own  soul?" 

Peter  nodded  his  head. 

''I  have  been  guided  by  mysterious  forces,"  he 
said,  ^'but  not  as  you  have,  my  sister.  Few  have 
gained  so  clear  an  insight  into  the  higher  wisdom  as 
have  you." 

''That  is  because  few  desire  to  know  and  to  learn," 
she  answered.  *'I  safeguard  my  people  with  the  aid 
of  this  spiritual  force.  It  is  ever  at  hand.  It  com- 
munes with  me.  It  is  undying  and  dwells  in  and 
around  all.    After  we  are  dead  it  will  still  exist. 

*'The  living  live  always.  To  deny  that  were  to 
deny  immortality.  Without  an  existence  to  con- 
tinue, there  could  be  no  use  of  ever  having  been. 
Life,  not  death,  was  ordained  for  human  beings. 
Let  man  but  cease  to  resist  and  to  antagonize  the 
helpful  intent  of  the  ministering  spirits  about  him 
and  he  is  ripe  for  all  things.  Then  indeed  shall  all 
his  subconscious  being  waken  and  act  as  his  guide 
and  stay.  Then  shall  the  day  of  higher  aims  grow 
full. 

"Even  in  this  supposedly  unprogressive  country 
we  are  going  ahead  as  thou  canst  perceive.     Out  in 

221 


THE     O  STRICH 

the  larger  world,  on  all  sides,  truth  is  dispelling  igno- 
rance. Laws  of  nature  and  of  science  have  put  an 
end  to  much  superstition.  Thou  hast  said,  my 
brother,  that  the  minds  of  thine  own  people  are  be- 
ginning to  solve  the  deeper  meanings  of  the  soul. 
The  social  consciousness  everywhere  is  wakening. 
Religions,  dogmas,  the  old  order  with  its  many  dif- 
fering ethical  and  moral  disciplines  are  being  bent  to 
the  one  principle  of  fraternal  love.  All  are  begin- 
ning to  recognize  the  need  of  a  religion  of  man  for 
man.  Look  forward,  my  brother,  and  hail  the  com- 
ing of  this  joyous  era ! 

''Lofty  achievements  await  him  who  casts  hate 
and  fear  and  jealousy  out  of  his  life.  Such  a  one 
shall  distinguish  himself,  for  then  will  he  know 
what  infinite  love  is;  and  infinite  love  is  infinite 
power.  Men  should  not  strive  to  be  kind;  they 
should  be  so  filled  with  love  that  kindness  is  inevita- 
ble. It  is  the  losing  of  one's  self  in  endeavor  that 
frees  one  from  discord.  Knowest  thou  not  that 
torment  and  bliss  are  states  of  mind?  Humanity 
must  learn,  no  matter  how  slowly,  that  co-operation, 
not  competition,  is  best  for  all.  Then,  and  only  then, 
shall  human  beings  know,  feel  and  express  that  great 
principle  of  love;  then  shall  they  give,  and  in  the 
giving  it  shall  be  returned  to  them  again;  then  the 
social  parasite,  now  living  by  the  sweat  and  toil  of 
others,  shall  no  longer  exist.  Service  alone  shall 
distinguish  man.     AbiHty  to  serve  shall  be  the  true 

222 


Z  AR'S     PHILOSOPHY 

test  of  education.  Man's  intelligence  shall  be  as 
great  as  the  good  he  accompHshes,  not  while  in  the 
business  of  doing  good,  but  in  the  simple  performance 
of  his  daily  tasks.  All  religious  faiths  shall  unite  in 
the  single  compelling  thought  of  man's  brotherhood 
and  the  fatherhood  of  the  one  God,  who  was  before, 
and  who  will  be  after  all.  As  the  years  unroll  the 
nations  of  the  world,  realizing  that  all  men  are  broth- 
ers, shall  come  to  serve  beneath  this  banner.  Ah,  my 
brother,  I  am  filled  with  unutterable  joy  when  my 
mind  wings  forward  to  that  glorified  day  of  the  fut- 
ure. I  see  peace  and  harmony.  That  dreadful  error, 
poverty,  then  shall  have  been  banished  from  the 
earth.  Those  of  my  neighbors  who  live  in  ignorance 
and  thy  people  now  dwelling  in  a  like  darkness  all 
shall  see  and  understand.  It  is  an  ineffable  thought. 
Then  shall  the  teachings  of  the  Nazarene  and  of  all 
the  prophets  find  a  true  and  perfect  expression;  false 
interpretations  shall  be  eliminated  from  worship; 
hypocrisy  and  vain  outward  show  shall  disappear. 

"The  world  has  wandered  long  and  far  amid  the 
confusion  of  many  faiths.  Century  after  century 
much  knowledge  and  truth  have  lain  hidden  amid 
a  verbiage  of  man-made  dogmas.  Human  beings 
have  quibbled  over  the  letter  of  the  law  while  its 
practice  in  spirit  has  been  forgotten.  But  the  end 
of  all  perplexity  and  futile  discussions  is  in  sight.  In 
men's  hearts  the  great  principles  of  truth  are  at  last 
beginning  to  take  root.     *  Learn  to  serve  thyself  and 

22^ 


THE    OSTRICH 

in  doing  so  thou  shalt  serve  others/  'learn  to  love 
and  love  shall  be  returned  to  thee/  'fellowship  be- 
tween men/  and  'man's  oneness  with  God' — such 
precepts  and  thoughts  are  to  sum  up  the  religion  of 
To-morrow. 

"Is  it  not  to  be  wondered  at,  my  brother,  that 
centuries  of  time  have  been  necessary  for  a  mere  be- 
ginning of  the  understanding  of  such  plain  and  simple 
doctrines?" 

For  a  moment  the  queen  leaned  back  in  silence. 
The  man  too  was  quiet,  enthralled  by  what  he  felt 
was  the  force  of  those  pervading  spirits  about  them 
both.  He  knew  that  wisdom  which  analyzed  so 
broadly  emanated  from  a  source  deeper  than  that  of 
the  mental  powers.  Suddenly  a  similarity  between 
the  utterances  of  Zar  and  the  prophecy  of  a  brother- 
hood of  man  which  had  come  to  him  from  the  lips 
of  Ann  Newman  flashed  into  his  mind,  and  he  in- 
stantly understood  that  in  some  strange  and  inex- 
pHcable  manner  the  two  women  had  been  inspired 
by  the  same  immutable  source.  Finally,  Zar  spoke 
again: 

"Thou  then  art  he  who  has  come  in  search  of 
the  ostrich?"  Her  words  caused  him  to  start,  self- 
consciously. It  was  as  if  she  were  suddenly  regard- 
ing him  from  a  new  standpoint. 

"Before  it  was  known  to  her  that  one  would  come, 
Zar  divined  the  value  of  this  great  bird  to  mankind/' 
she  continued.     "The  ostrich  embodies   the   motive 

224 


ZAR'S     PHILOSOPHY 

force  of  a  movement  that  shall  endure  forever. 
When  thou,  my  brother,  shalt  return  and  begin  to 
advocate  the  doctrine  of  the  Golden  Rule  in  business, 
thou  shalt  encounter  great  opposition.  Benighted 
humanity,  even  while  it  realizes  the  beneficence  of 
that  injunction,  contends  against  its  practice.  Men 
will  fight  against  one  who  advocates  the  establish- 
ment of  universal  co-operation,  for  there  is  still  a 
host  of  those  who  are  too  gross,  too  lacking  in  the 
finer  sensibilities,  too  unspiritual  to  grasp  the  im- 
portance of  this  principle.  But  the  effort  with  the 
ostrich  as  a  material  factor  behind  it  shall  prove  in- 
vincible, for  this  bird  alone  has  been  specially  ap- 
pointed to  advance  the  cause  of  the  brotherhood  of 


man." 


''I  do  not  understand  you,  my  sister,"  said  Peter, 
mystified  by  her  last  assertion. 

''Thou  hast  no  doubt  already  learned,  if  thou  hast 
studied  the  ostrich,  that  the  bird  fives  a  hundred 
years,  and  that,  contrary  to  the  rule  with  so  many 
animals,  no  ailment  or  plague  affects  it.  But  more 
than  all  this — and  thou,  my  brother,  art  the  first 
dwelHng  in  the  outside  world  to  learn  this  secret— 
the  ostrich  will  thrive  even  better  in  a  climate  of 
extreme  cold  than  it  does  in  the  tropical  wilds. 
Thou  art  to  convey  a  great  flock  of  these  birds  to 
thine  own  land  where  the  truth  of  this  secret  shall 
be  proven  for  all.  Moreover,  when  thou  dost  leave 
this  land   to  begin   thy  work,  destiny  hath  decreed 

225 


THE    OSTRICH 

that  no  other  person  shall  ever  take  an  ostrich  from 
Africa's  borders.     Thou  art  to  be  the  last. 

"Yet  before  even  thou  shalt  succeed  in  escaping, 
heart-breaking  discouragements  and  terrible  dangers 
will  threaten  thy  success.  But  thou  must  be  brave 
and  persistent.  No  harm  shall  mar  thee  and  thy 
work,  then." 

"Your  confidence  and  assurance  inspires  me," 
said  Peter,  as  Zar  paused.  "But  tell  me  how  I  am 
to  enlist  men  in  this  constructive  purpose  for  which 
the  ostrich  is  to  be  used?  In  my  country  hundreds 
are  continually  exploiting  schemes  claimed  to  be  for 
the  benefit  of  the  many,  but  which  in  reality  are  for 
the  aggrandizement  of  the  few.  My  people  have  been 
tricked  and  deceived  so  often  that  now  they  are  no 
longer  easily  won  to  a  new  cause." 

"The  evil  done  by  others  is  one  of  the  obstacles 
ahead  of  thee,"  she  answered.  "But  in  spite  of  that 
and  of  all  other  hindrances  the  principle  of  co-opera- 
tion shall  continue  to  spread.  With  the  ostrich 
thou  hast  the  means  for  establishing  it  irrevocably, 
for  the  bird  shall  prove  a  material  aid  of  which  no 
one  can  deprive  thee  and  those  who  join  with  thee. 

"Already  the  ground  is  ready  for  the  hand  of 
the  sower.  The  way  for  thy  success  has  been  pre- 
pared by  a  dawning  knowledge  among  many  people 
that  fraternal  effort  is  needed. 

"At  first  only  a  few  shall  join  with  thee,  and  among 
that  few  there  shall  be  some  hesitant  and  doubting 

226 


Z  AR»S    PHILO  SOPHY 

and  weak;  but  little  by  little  enthusiasm  shall 
grow;  then  thousands  shall  fall  into  line,  until  the 
influence  of  their  earnestness  and  of  their  principles 
shall  make  itself  felt  in  every  corner  of  the  globe. 
In  that  day  the  business  world  shall  waken  to  the 
new  truths  and  be  guided  by  them.  Past  errors, 
the  systems  that  now  produce  great  strikes  and  great 
monopoHes,  shall  disappear.  Christ's  promise,  ^All 
things  are  yours,'  shall  be  fulfilled  then,  and  not 
until  then,  for  to  realize  those  words  man  must  rise 
in  his  intelHgence  and  understanding  and  become  a 
united  brotherhood. 

"  Men  have  wandered  astray.  In  every  part  of  the 
world  they  have  been  misled  by  false  teachings  and 
misinterpretations  of  truth.  Greed  and  covetousness 
of  power,  since  the  beginning  of  time,  have  greatly 
obscured  the  teachings  of  such  prophets  as  Moses 
and  Mahomet  whose  words  were  intended  to  lead 
men  to  a  higher  life.  But  with  the  motto  of  self- 
help  and  universal  brotherhood  before  them  hu- 
man beings  are  to  break  away  from  enslavement 
and  ignorance  and  walk  in  the  light,  upright  and 
unafraid. 

*'Then  warfare  shall  cease  between  nations.  Then 
all  peoples  shall  be  in  accord  in  thought  and  action, 
recognizing  the  one  and  only  God  as  father.  Then 
there  shall  be  no  more  castes.  The  same  tongue  shall 
be  spoken  by  all.  Waste,  idleness,  indolence,  usury, 
begging  and  living  upon  others  shall  cease.     Harmony 

227 


THE     OSTRICH 

shall  succeed  inharmony  in  business.  It  shall  be  a 
day  of  great  happiness." 

At  her  last  words  the  queen  rose  and  stretched  out 
her  hand  toward  Peter. 

**Now  I  must  bid  thee  farewell  for  a  brief  time, 
my  brother.  Duty  calls  me  to  attend  to  the  needs 
of  my  people.  To-morrow  we  will  journey  about  the 
city  and  thou  wilt  see  what  we  have  done  here  and 
how  we  live.  Meanwhile  Melu  will  attend  to  thy 
wants.  Possess  thyself  with  patience."  Then  gently 
pressing  his  fingers  she  left  him,  vanishing  through 
one  of  the  doors  that  led  from  the  room. 


228 


XVIII 
A  TRUTH  MADE  REAL 

Peter  lay  awake  late  that  night,  endeavoring  to 
reconcile  his  mind  with  the  influx  of  new  thoughts 
and  emotions  which  Zar's  words  had  roused.  He 
was  curious  to  inspect  the  industrial  and  social 
regime  of  Rhadan,  for  that  regime  seemed  likely  to 
prove  a  remarkable  example  of  co-operation. 

It  puzzled  him  to  understand  just  how  the  queen 
had  made  the  principle  practical  in  this  country. 
Co-operation  had  gained  a  permanent  foothold  in 
England,  in  Germany,  in  Italy,  among  the  people  of 
nations  where  civilization  was  well  advanced;  but  in 
those  countries  it  had  been  born  of  long-continued 
poverty  and  oppression.  In  Rhadan,  a  single  woman 
had  conceived  and  applied  the  principle  to  an  entire 
people  reputed  to  be  grossly  ignorant,  and  a  well- 
developed  civilization  had  resulted. 

Thus  he  was  prompt  to  respond  to  Zar's  summons 
the  next  morning,  and  shortly  after  breakfast  he  set 
out  with  her  in  the  royal  phaeton  drawn  by  two 
milk-white  horses  and  driven  by  a  tall,  snowy-clad 
native. 

Trebut  proved  to  be  a  well-kept  municipality  of 

229 


THE    OSTRICH 

several  thousand  people.  The  residential  section, 
consisting  of  many  structures  of  the  bungalow  type 
with  a  scattering  of  two-story  buildings,  was  grouped 
in  one  section  along  paved  streets  lined  with  trees 
and  foliage.  Here  he  also  noticed  another  store- 
house similar  to  the  one  behind  Zar's  palace,  rising 
above  the  broad-sloping  roof-tops.  Three  school  build- 
ings made  of  brick  and  ornamented  with  carved  stone 
were  also  located  in  different  parts  of  this  section. 

In  the  centre  of  the  same  area  lay  a  vast  park  con- 
taining hundreds  of  seats  arranged  in  semicircles 
around  a  raised  platform.  This  park,  Zar  explained, 
was  the  forum  for  public  discussions,  meetings  and 
religious  gatherings. 

Christianity,  long  the  religion  of  the  whole  country, 
found  its  expression  among  the  people  of  Trebut  in 
out-of-door  gatherings  at  which  the  best  and  highest 
thoughts  of  the  world's  great  men  were  studied  and 
learned.  The  forum  was  also  the  sanctuary.  Vast 
urns  filled  with  flowering  plants,  and  streamers  of 
green  foliage  which,  Zar  informed  him,  were  replaced 
from  week  to  week,  and  which  hung  festoon-like 
from  the  overhanging  limbs  of  trees,  took  the  place 
of  gilded  vestment  and  stilted  ceremonial.  A  foun- 
tain in  the  midst  of  a  pond,  sprayed  with  a  million 
diamonds  the  masses  of  multi-colored  flowers  that 
bloomed  amid  green  lily-pads.  These  people  chose 
only  the  fragrance,  beauty  and  sweetness  of  nature 
with  which  to  hallow  their  place  of  worship. 

230 


A    TRUTH    MADE    REAL 

Finally,  they  were  driven  to  what  Zar  called  the 
section  of  industries,  a  division  of  the  city  removed 
from  the  residences.  There  Peter's  wondering  gaze 
beheld  a  small-sized  manufacturing  centre  in  which 
nearly  all  the  occupations  of  the  people  except  farm- 
ing and  cattle  raising  were  located  in  different  fac- 
tories and  workshops.  Another  school  also  stood  in 
this  working  centre  where  advanced  instruction  in 
the  trades  was  accompanied  by  practical  work  in  the 
factories. 

Here  was  a  tannery  where  hides  were  tanned  and 
finished,  and  a  busy  shoe-factory  where  the  finished 
product  was  turned  into  footwear.  A  small  cotton 
and  woollen  mill,  a  brick  kiln  behind  which  stood  a 
great  pit  with  a  seemingly  inexhaustible  supply  of 
clay,  a  large  furniture  factory,  a  wood- working  shop, 
a  cannery  where  meats  and  fruits  were  preserved, 
and  structures  for  carrying  on  the  lesser  occupations 
such  as  the  making  of  dye  colors,  beads,  baskets 
and    rugs  were    numbered    among    the   enterprises 

here. 

Even  after  spending  several  hours  inspecting  this 
remarkable  centre,  Peter  was  loath  to  return  with 
his  royal  guide  to  the  palace.  When  he  and  his 
hostess  were  together  again  in  the  room  of  state,  he 
said  to  Zar: 

"The  accompHshments  of  your  people  are  little 
short  of  marvellous,  my  sister.  My  countrymen 
would  doubt  my  honesty  if  I  were  to  tell  them  of  all 

231 


THE     OSTRICH 

the  wonders  that  I  have  seen  to-day.  For  who 
would  believe  that  a  people  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
world's  wildest  country  could  achieve  such  results! 

"You  assert  that  co-operation  has  been  your  guid- 
ing principle.  In  the  outside  world  co-operation  is 
being  practised  by  different  groups  of  men,  but 
nowhere  is  there  to  be  found  such  a  perfect  example 
as  here.  Not  a  part,  but  all  your  people  have  been 
imited.  I  have  not  seen  a  single  beggar  nor  a  drone 
of  any  kind  during  our  journey  about  the  city. 
Every  one  seems  to  be  actuated  by  the  same  spirit 
of  progressiveness. 

"It  is  the  method  by  which  you  have  succeeded 
in  making  co-operation  practical  that  puzzles  me, 
my  sister.     Will  you  explain  it?" 

The  queen  smiled. 

"Thy  question  is  not  unexpected,"  she  said.  "In 
thy  country  thou  hast  witnessed  the  growth  of  great 
combinations  of  capital  subscribed  by  men  who 
recognize  the  economy  to  be  gained  by  the  con- 
centration of  many  businesses  under  one  manage- 
ment. These  trusts  have  absorbed  one  enterprise 
after  another  until  thy  people,  fearing  their  rapacious- 
ness  or  dreading  their  power,  have  rallied  to  do 
battle  with  them. 

"Hast  thou  ever  guessed  what  the  end  of  this 
trust  epidemic  will  be,  my  brother?  Hast  thou 
thought  of  what  would  happen  if  these  trusts  con- 
tinued the  process  of  combining  until  all  businesses 

232 


A    TRUTH    MADE    REAL 

were  taken  in?  The  result  would  be  a  single  great 
corporation  that  combined  all  the  wealth  and  man- 
aged all  the  industries  of  the  country." 

^'That  would  be  a  terrible  plutocracy,"  put  in  Peter. 

"It  would  indeed  prove  a  calamity  if  a  few  were  to 
possess  the  ultimate  control  of  such  a  combination. 
But  that  will  not  be  the  case. 

"Let  us  suppose  that  the  people,  all  of  them, 
owned  such  a  corporation — and  they  could  easily 
do  so — then  you  would  have  an  ideal  social  and  in- 
dustrial system  of  affairs." 

"I  do  not  understand,"  said  Peter.  "How  could 
such  a  result  be  brought  about?  How  is  it  so  easy 
for  the  people  to  gain  possession  of  what  is  now  in 
the  hands  of  a  chosen  few?" 

"By  subscribing  a  part  of  their  earnings  for  the 
purchase  of  shares  in  a  corporation  which  has  for 
its  purpose  the  gradual  absorption  of  the  securities 
of  all  the  great  trusts,"  was  her  reply.  "But  first 
permit  Zar  to  tell  her  brother  just  how  she  has  es- 
tablished in  Rhadan  a  community  which  he  has 
been  pleased  to  find  excellent.  Many  years  ago, 
when  her  subjects  were  much  lower  in  the  scale  of 
progress  than  they  are  now,  a  group  of  the  most 
intelligent  youths  were  sent  abroad  to  be  taught  the 
sciences  and  the  civilization  of  Europe.  When  these 
returned  Zar  made  them  the  teachers  of  the  rest  of 
her  people. 

"At  first  there  was  rebellion.     The  old-time  inertia 

233 


THE     OSTRICH 

prevailed.  Very  few  had  learned  of  the  incen- 
tive that  comes  with  self-help.  But  Zar  did  not 
punish  those  who  objected  to  being  taught.  In- 
stead, she  summoned  all  to  the  forum  and  showed 
them  what  could  be  accomplished  if  they  wakened 
and  learned  to  work  together.  For  many  weeks 
these  meetings  were  held.  It  was  only  when  every 
one  understood  the  principles  of  co-operation  that 
the  gatherings  were  discontinued. 

"Then  began  a  period  of  individualism.  Every 
one  was  taught  to  find  out  his  own  accomplishments, 
to  gain  a  knowledge  of  self  and  his  power  to  accom- 
plish. It  was  indeed  quite  astonishing  to  observe 
the  rapid  advancement  of  each  one  under  the  in- 
fluence of  this  doctrine.  Even  Zar  was  amazed  at 
the  progress  which  her  people  made. 

"The  time  was  soon  ready  for  the  next  step.  A 
company  composed  of  all  the  subjects  of  Rhadan 
was  created.  The  people  were  mostly  very  poor 
then,  though  during  the  preceding  years  of  advance 
all  had  begun  to  understand  the  true  value  of  economy 
and  thrift.  Still  the  material  possessions  and  wealth 
had  largely  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  government. 

"All  were  now  told  that  the  opportunity  had  at 
last  come  when  every  person  in  the  kingdom  was 
to  be  made  a  copartner  in  all  the  wealth  and 
in  every  enterprise  which  should  thereafter  be 
undertaken. 

"The  people  listened  and   were  greatly  pleased. 

234 


A    TRUTH    MADE    REAL 

Zar  told  them  how  the  proposal  was  to  be  carried 
out. 

*'The  then  primitive  tannery,  the  furniture  in- 
dustry, and  the  herds  of  cattle,  goats  and  sheep, 
farmed  with  money  from  the  royal  coffers,  were  to 
be  capitalized  into  a  corporation  and  each  subject  was 
to  be  allotted  shares  in  the  capitalization.  That  is, 
every  family  became  a  stockholder  in  a  corporation 
which  had  for  its  object  the  ownership  and  manage- 
ment of  all  the  natural  resources  and  the  industrial 
and  agricultural  activities  of  the  nation, 

"That  the  people  might  act  together  and  with  in- 
telligence, nothing  was  done  until  another  series  of 
meetings  at  the  forum  had  so  clearly  elucidated  and 
explained  this  principle  of  incorporation  that  there 
was  not  a  man  but  understood.  It  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  this  was  an  advanced  step  for  the  people 
of  Abyssinia  and  one  which  had  to  be  undertaken 
with  the  greatest  care. 

'^Finally,  on  an  appointed  day,  every  citizen  was 
allotted  his  shares.  This  was  done  by  issuing  a  cer- 
tificate of  ownership  to  each. 

"Of  course  only  a  small  part  of  the  people  were 
able  to  purchase  their  shares  outright.  The  ma- 
jority received  them  without  making  any  payment 
at  all,  or  for  small  deposits.  All  such  became  debtors 
to  the  nation  until  such  time  as  they  should  pay  in  full 
for  their  shares  either  in  the  medium  of  exchange 
or  else  in  labor  value  equal  to  their  indebtedness. 

235 


THE    OSTRICH 

"With  all  this  accomplished  as  a  beginning,  Zar's 
people  commenced  to  grow.  It  is  indeed  astonishing, 
my  brother,  to  see  how  men  will  advance  when  once 
they  realize  that  they  are  receiving  the  full  benefit 
of  their  labor.  In  a  comparatively  brief  number  of 
years  every  shareholder  in  Rhadan  had  paid  for  his 
stock  and  all  were  beginning  to  realize  returns  upon 
their  investments;  for  you  see  when  these  people 
realized  that  working  collectively  they  could  accom- 
plish so  much,  a  new  spirit  of  energy  was  born,  new 
industries  were  proposed  and  started,  and  the  re- 
turns upon  the  capital  invested  began  to  increase 
rapidly. 

"To-day  the  Rhadanians  are  looked  upon  by  the 
people  of  the  adjoining  nations  as  being  amazingly 
prosperous.  Indeed,  that  prosperity  has  been  the 
cause  of  no  little  trouble  with  envious  neighbors. 

"  Corporation  has  been  the  road  to  co-operation  and 
co-operation  has  brought  peace  and  harmony  within 
Zar's  country,  if  not  without.  The  queen  believes 
that  some  day  all  the  surrounding  tribes  will  be  led 
to  profit  by  the  achievements  of  Rhadan." 

Peter  had  listened  intently. 

"Then  the  so-termed  trusts  in  my  country  are 
benefits  rather  than  evils?"  he  finally  asked. 

"Assuredly,"  she  repKed.  "Your  great  business 
combinations  point  the  way  to  the  day  when  all  the 
people  of  your  land  w^ill  be  owners  in  the  one  great 
corporation  that  shall  own   and  control  all  others. 

236 


A    TRUTH    MADE    REAL 

Imagine  a  national  corporation  of  this  kind  in  your 
country.  The  capital  stock  represents  the  owner- 
ship of  every  industrial  and  commercial  activity 
that  is  carried  on.  The  evils  of  competition  with 
its  attendant  loss  by  waste  have  yielded  to  a  perfect 
unification  of  all  business  under  one  corporate  man- 
agement. The  people  are  the  corporation.  They 
own  all  the  shares  collectively  and  perform  the  thou- 
sand and  one  different  kinds  of  labor,  both  professional 
and  commercial,  that  industry  necessitates.  There 
is  neither  waste  nor  wage-slavery.  Each  worker  re- 
ceives a  return  in  proportion  as  the  industrial  ma- 
chine prospers. 

"Since  supply  and  demand  can  be  adjusted  with 
perfect  accuracy,  labor  troubles  will  be  at  an  end. 
Each  person  will  advance  in  the  industrial  scale  in 
proportion  as  his  knowledge  earns  him  such  advance- 
ment. Under  such  a  system,  my  brother,  hope,  peace 
and  liberty  will  prevail.  Every  one  is  spurred  on  to 
do  his  highest  and  best." 

"The  picture  is  an  inspiration.  I  should  be  glad 
if  it  might  some  day  prove  an  actuality,"  said  Peter. 

Zar  bent  toward  him  and  as  she  spoke  the  light  of 
a  strange  prophecy  shone  in  her  eyes: 

"The  day  of  such  a  corporation  is  coming,"  she 
declared.  "Out  of  the  combinations  of  power  that 
now  exist  in  thy  country  it  shall  materialize.  And 
its  advent  shall  fill  men's  hearts  with  love.  It  shall 
banish  poverty  and  all  its  attendant  evils.     It  shall 

237 


THE    OSTRICH 

prelude  the  dawn  of  truth  and  prosperity  through- 
out the  world — for  this  incorporate  working  together 
of  men  shall  not  end  wdth  the  people  of  thy  land,  but 
it  shall  spread  until  it  includes  those  of  all  the  world. 
For  long  years  Zar  hath  foreseen  that  day.  Indeed 
since  her  childhood,  before  the  time  of  these,  her 
subjects,  the  conviction  that  this  new  birth  of  man- 
kind was  to  occur  has  been  growing  in  her  thoughts." 

Peter  sat  staring  in  amazement  into  her  face. 

''You  speak  as  if  you  were  very  old  in  years,  my 
sister.  How  does  it  happen  that  your  wisdom  reaches 
so  far  back?" 

''It  may  seem  incredible  to  you,  my  brother,"  she 
said,  "but  Zar  remembers  when  the  oldest  men  and 
women  among  her  people  were  children.  Even  the 
faces  of  grandsires  long  dead  are  familiar  to  her 
memory.  Who  knows  why  such  longevity  is  brought 
about  or  from  whence  it  descends! 

"Zar  is  indeed  of  illustrious  lineage.  The  father 
of  the  Ethiopian  noble  whom  Philip  met  and  con- 
verted on  the  road  to  Jerusalem  and  who  afterwards 
brought  Christianity  into  Abyssinia  was  her  an- 
cestor. For  he  was  given  in  marriage  by  a  monarch 
of  old  to  a  royal  princess  from  whom  the  records 
show  that  Zar  is  directly  descended. 

"All  the  tribes  of  this  land  reverenced  Queen  Zena 
for  her  wisdom  and  piety.  Many  years  ago  this 
famous  monarch  of  Rhadan  taught  Zar,  her  grand- 
child, many  things.     Zena  lived  to  be  so  old  that  her 


A    TRUTH    MADE    REAL 

son,  Zar's  father,  died  before  the  old  queen,  and  thus 
Zar  came  to  power  after  her. 

''Yet,  my  brother,  the  span  of  Zar's  years  has 
been  lengthened  because  of  that  strength  which  the 
love  of  a  deep  purpose  has  afforded  her.  Mayst  thou, 
my  brother,  likewise  find  many  years  of  joy  in  bend- 
ing the  powers  of  mind  and  soul  to  high  aims." 

Something  in  her  words  suddenly  recalled  to  Peter's 
mind  the  purpose  that  had  brought  him  to  this  land. 
''Will  the  hunters  soon  be  gathered  for  my  quest 
of  the  ostriches?"  he  asked. 

"All  has  been  arranged,"  she  answered.  "Be 
thou  ready  to-night,  when  Melu  summons  thee." 
She  had  risen  and  stood  gazing  at  him. 
"Our  friendship  hath  pleased  Zar,  greatly,"  she 
said.  "A  memory  of  thee  will  go  with  her  always. 
If  she  hath  said  that  which  will  spur  her  brother 
to  greater  and  higher  achievement,  no  dearer  re- 
ward can  be  sought. 

"Amuse  thyself,  as  best  thou  mayst.  Now  must 
Zar  leave  thee  until  the  hour  when  she  bids  thee  God- 
speed on  thy  journey." 

A  minute  later  she  left  the  room,  and  Peter  rose 
and  sought  out  Ras  Jemel.  He  found  the  latter  in 
conversation  with  Sheik  Aram,  another  leathery- 
skinned  Arab,  who  had  just  returned  from  gathering 
together  the  camels,  and  with  these  two  he  sat  for 
some  time,  discussing  the  plans  for  the  morrow. 


239 


xrx 

KILLING  A   MAN-EATER 

Wakened  by  Melu  before  the  new  moon  had 
cradled  her  silvery  horns  in  the  crystal  glow  of  the 
Southern  Cross,  Peter  sprang  from  his  couch  and 
hastily  dressed  for  the  journey  south. 

In  the  courtyard  below  subdued  commands  and 
calls  of  the  desert  hunters  and  the  soft  padding  of 
restless  feet  mingled  with  snarls  of  the  newly  arrived 
camels.  The  palHd  sheen  of  the  Abyssinian  night 
lay,  a  gleaming  mantle,  upon  treetop,  tower  and 
clustered  roofs.  ♦ 

^'The  queen  awaits  the  sahib  in  the  great 
hall,"  said  the  Arab,  an  obsequious  note  in  his 
melHfluous  tones  betraying  his  respect  for  the 
white  sahib  whom  even  Zar,  obeyed  by  the 
wildest  outlaw  tribes  of  the  Haud,  honored  so 
highly. 

*'  I  will  go  to  her  at  once.     Are  the  mules  saddled?  " 

^'Yes,  sahib." 

''Bid  Sheik  Aram  have  the  two  hunters  and  the 
guns  ready  and  be  prepared  to  start  at  the  first  light 
of  dawn." 

The  youth  bowed  and  went  out. 

240 


KILLING    A    MAN-EATER 

A  few  minutes  later  Peter  entered  the  lofty  room 
of  state  and  stood  in  the  presence  of  Zar. 

^'Come,  sit  here,  brother,"  she  said  the  moment 
he  entered,  graciously  beckoning  him  to  a  seat  near 
her.  ''We  will  breakfast  together  before  thou  dost 
start.  Hunger  is  an  unsteady  steed  to  drive.  I  have 
seen  that  all  is  in  readiness  for  thy  journey."  As 
she  spoke,  three  tall  attendants  entered  and  began 
spreading  a  small  table  before  her,  laying  the  snowy 
linen  with  plates  of  barley  bread,  ripe  pears,  seeded 
cakes,  honey  and  cups  of  aromatic  coffee. 

''I  had  thought  to  breakfast  in  the  saddle.  You 
are  as  gracious  as  wise,  dear  friend,"  said  Peter, 
seating  himself  before  the  tempting  repast. 

''Eat,  my  brother.  Waste  no  idle  words.  Kind- 
ness brings  its  own  reward.  Listen!  Dawn  will  soon 
be  here.  Ras  Jemel  will  lead  thee  forty  leagues  to 
the  southwest.  The  camels,  a  hundred  in  all,  with 
skilled  hunters  and  shikaris  will  follow.  In  the  valley 
of  Metan  shadowed  by  the  Amou  plateau  thou  wilt 
discover  a  tiny  lake  whose  crystal  waters,  vapors, 
boiling  up  from  far  down  in  the  earth,  keep  always 
warm.  This  is  one  of  the  sources  of  the  ancient 
Blue  Nile  that  no  white  man  has  yet  visited. 
It  is  the  home  of  the  Blue  Nile  Ostrich.  There 
thou  wilt  behold  the  finest  specimens.  Bid  the 
hunters  hasten  to  take  as  many  as  seem  wise  and 
return  with  speed  to  Rhadan.  Then  I  will  instruct 
thee   how  to  reach  thine  own  land  in  safety  with 

241 


THE     O  STRICH 

the  birds.  Now  I  must  go  to  confer  with  Ras 
Jemel." 

''But  Your  Majesty—" 

Already  risen  from  the  table,  she  leaned  towards 
him,  placing  a  finger  upon  her  lips: 

''Dost  forget?  Are  we  not  brother  and  sister? 
Danger  will  run  beside  thee,  my  brother,  but  thou 
shalt  come  back  in  safety  with  thy  task  in  Metan 
fulfilled." 

His  eyes  followed  her  until  the  door  at  the  farther 
end  of  the  room  hid  her  from  view.  Then  he  hastily 
finished  his  meal  and  went  out  into  the  area  above 
which  faint  gleams  of  dawn  now  shimmered  across 
the  sky. 

Ten  minutes  later,  accompanied  by  gray-haired 
Ras  Jemel,  Aram,  Melu  and  two  swarthy  shikaris 
each  astride  a  well-laden  mule,  Peter  similarly 
mounted  made  his  way  through  sleeping  Trebut  and 
began  his  perilous  journey. 

The  next  day  the  caravan  of  camels  ladened  with 
cases  for  nearly  two  hundred  ostriches  would  take  the 
road  which  he  was  now  following  as  far  as  the  Digon 
River  whence  Peter  and  Ras  Jemel  were  to  pursue 
the  shorter  water  route  to  their  destination,  leaving 
Aram,  the  boy  and  the  two  hunters  to  push  on  with 
the  mules  and  rejoin  them  at  Metan,  ahead  of  the 
slower  caravan. 

With  many  shakings  of  the  head,  Ras  Jemel  had 
protested  against   this   plan,   but   Peter's  eagerness 

242 


KILLING     A     MAN-EATER 

to  begin  the  round-up  of  the  birds  before  the 
caravan  arrived  had  won  against  the  caution  of  the 
guide. 

Across  miles  of  plateau-land,  level  and  grassy,  de- 
scending into  lower  wooded  tracts  that  finally  skirted 
downward  to  the  dry  bed  of  a  river,  thence  through 
a  deep  and  shadowy  defile  between  precipitous  sides 
and  out  onto  stretches  of  luminous  sand,  bhghting 
in  its  burning  heat,  the  six  travellers  pressed  on  to 
the  southward. 

At  first  the  route,  lying  across  the  land  adjacent 
to  Zar's  kingdom,  traversed  the  feeding  grounds  of 
sleek,  well-fed  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats  whose  shep- 
herds greeted  them  with  courtesy.  No  danger  threat- 
ened them  there  at  night,  for  the  great  queen's  kindly 
and  all-wise  influence  had  spread  beyond  the  borders 
of  her  land.  But  as  the  trail  penetrated  deeper  into 
the  south  and  hot,  pest-ridden,  densely  foliaged  fast- 
nesses became  more  and  more  frequent,  Ras  Jemel 
ordered  many  precautions  taken  at  nightfall  against 
both  wild  beasts  and  human  marauders. 

''Only  one  white  man  has  ever  been  in  here  before," 
he  said,  ''and  he  did  not  come  out.  There  are  bad 
men  over  there,"  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  to  the  right, 
"and  there,"  pointing  in  the  direction  in  which  they 
were  going.     "We  will  need  take  much  care." 

On  the  fifth  day  of  their  trip  Peter  began  to  catch 
glimpses  of  strangely  scarred  and  pitted  faces,  black 
as  night,  that  vanished  in  the  jungle  almost  as  soon 

243 


THE     O  STRICH 

as  they  came  into  view.  Once  an  arrow,  light  as  a 
feather,  dropped  with  the  stillness  of  a  bird  in  flight 
on  the  path  in  front  of  him,  but  as  he  reined  in  his 
mule  and  took  swift  aim  at  a  naked  form  that  showed 
for  an  instant  among  the  trees,  Ras  Jemel's  fingers 
clutched  his  wrist  and  stayed  his  hand  and  the  old 
man  shook  his  head  warningly: 

"Better  not  stir  up  trouble.  It  was  only  a  stray 
scout.    He  will  not  shoot  again." 

That  night  a  leopard  suddenly  bounded  over  the 
low  cereba  wall  that  had  been  rudely  constructed  as 
an  encampment  defence  and  before  a  shot  could  be 
fired  had  disappeared  again  with  several  pounds  of 
tinned  meat  which  had  been  cut  off  and  left  over 
from  supper.  Lions  roared  constantly  in  the  dark- 
ness about  the  camp,  and  the  next  day  before  the 
start  was  made,  Ras  Jemel  grimly  cautioned  every- 
one to  be  ready  for  a  sudden  attack. 

"The  Sharl-dikus,  eaters  of  men,  dwell  over  yon- 
der,'* motioning  in  front  and  a  little  to  the  right. 
And  with  this  laconic  assertion  the  old  man  led  on 
deeper  into  the  forest.  As  the  heat  became  more 
intense  and  the  air,  now  always  filled  with  blood- 
thirsty insects,  more  and  more  overladen  with  damp 
and  fetid  odors,  Peter  began  to  doubt  his  zeal  in  urg- 
ing this  advance  expedition.  Now  they  were  in  the 
midst  of  the  mighty  tropical  wilds.  Often  the  under- 
growth presented  an  impenetrable  wall  behind  which 
danger   from   wild   beasts,   venomous   serpents   and 

244 


KILLING    A     MAN-EATER 

savage  human  beings  constantly  threatened.  Two 
days,  Ras  Jemel  promised,  would  bring  them  to  the 
banks  of  the  stream  which  had  its  source  in  Metan 
valley.  But  would  they  live  to  get  there?  Twice 
a  band  of  elephants  went  crashing  off  before  them. 
Herds  of  antelope,  gazelle,  and  reedbuck  often  fled 
across  their  path.  Once  a  small  regiment  of  giraffes 
shambled  by  at  a  tremendous  pace,  whisking  their 
long  tails  as  they  ran. 

About  mid-day  Peter  sighted  a  monster,  long-tusked 
boar,  waddling  nonchalantly  into  range.  As  he 
lifted  his  400  D.  B.  hammerless  to  pot  the  beast,  he 
was  suddenly  startled  by  a  distant  sound  of  wailing 
which,  as  he  listened,  drew  nearer  and  nearer  swell- 
ing in  volume  until  it  filled  all  the  arches  of  the  forest. 
Then  suddenly  a  great  throng  of  huge  black  men 
followed  by  as  many  more  women  and  children 
swarmed  into  view  in  front.  As  the  leaders  of  this 
strange  procession  caught  sight  of  the  little  caravan 
there  was  an  instant  halt  and  the  echoing  shrieks 
and  lamentations  quickly  died  away. 

Cursing  softly,  Ras  Jemel  slipped  from  the  back 
of  his  mule  to  the  ground  and  with  a  hand  upraised 
began  making  a  series  of  strange  and  mystical  passes 
in  the  air.  Evidently,  these  were  accepted  as  an  indi- 
cation of  good-will,  for  after  a  brief  conference  among 
the  ranks  of  the  blacks,  an  old  man,  plainly  the  king, 
and  two  young  Ethiopians,  all  naked  save  for  a  small 
strip  of  leopard's  skin  tied  about  the  loins  of  each, 

245 


THE     OSTRICH 

came  forward.  With  the  two  warriors  marching 
gravely  on  either  side,  His  Majesty,  after  proceeding 
to  within  a  few  feet  of  Ras  Jemel,  knelt  down  in  the 
red  dust.  The  Arab  guide  promptly  assumed  a 
similar  position.  Now  for  several  minutes  the 
preliminaries  of  introduction  including  many  ex- 
cited gestures  engrossed  the  attention  of  both.  Then 
suddenly  Peter  beheld  this  wrinkled  and  grizzled  old 
monarch  bend  low,  dig  his  long,  claw-like  fingers  into 
the  soft  ground  and  begin  throwing  the  earth  over 
his  bared  head  and  breast.  At  the  same  time  he 
broke  into  a  barbaric  bellowing,  instantly  taken  up 
by  his  attendants  and  echoed  back  by  the  throng  in 
the  rear  until  the  arching  branches  of  the  thick  forest 
rang  again  and  again  with  an  incredible  uproar  in- 
creased fourfold  by  the  chattering  and  screaming  of 
myriads  of  frightened  monkeys  and  paroquets. 

"What  is  it,  Ras  Jemel?"  shouted  Peter  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"It  is  King  Manek's  tribe.  A  man-eating  lioness 
who  has  already  killed  and  devoured  four  women  and 
three  children  has  slain  his  son.  This  is  the  mourn- 
ing procession.  He  will  have  to  abandon  his  village 
and  lead  his  people  away  from  their  homes  unless 
something  is  done  soon  to  stay  the  ravages  of  the 
beast." 

Instantly  Peter's  inward  laughter  at  the  old  negro 
kneeling  in  the  dust,  howling  at  the  top  of  his  lungs, 
was  changed  to  pity.     In  spite  of  Ras  Jemel's  gesture 

246 


KILLING    A    MAN-EATER 

warning  him  to  keep  his  seat,  he  jumped  to  the  ground 
and  stretched  out  a  sympathetic  hand  toward  the 

king. 

Then  a  strange  thing  happened.  The  waihng 
ceased  as  if  by  magic;  the  monarch  agilely  sprang 
up  out  of  the  sand,  with  his  two  warriors  bounded 
back  to  the  company  behind  him  and  the  whole 
crowd,  men,  women  and  children,  took  to  their  heels 
and  vanished  as  though  swallowed  up  by  the  forest. 

''Well,  what  do  you  know  about  that?  '^  cried  Peter, 
turning  with  a  look  of  blank  astonishment.  Con- 
sternation and  dismay  had  overspread  Ras  Jemel's 
features.     Throwing    up    his   hands,    the    old   man 

exclaimed: 

''We  must  leave  at  once,  sahib.  You  have  de- 
clared war  on  King  Manek.  To  stretch  out  one's 
hand  in  front  of  the  king's  face  is  a  deadly  insult  to 
the  whole  tribe.  Come,  let  us  get  away,'^  and  smt- 
ing  action  to  word  the  old  man  thumped  his  heels 
into  the  sides  of  his  mule  and  started  back  at  a  brisk 
pace  along  the  route  over  which  they  had  just  come. 

"Halt!"     It    was    Ras    Jemel's   voice    again    ten 

minutes  later. 

"Look!"  He  pointed  to  the  forest  ahead.  Grim 
and  savage  visages  of  naked  warriors  showed  from 
behind  tree  and  thicket.  Long  glistening  spears 
and  shields  of  tawny  lion's  hide  appeared  every- 
where. Ras  Jemel  groaned.  Aram,  brave  on  the 
desert,  now  shuddered  with  fear  at  this  threatening 

247 


THE     OSTRICH 

host.  Melu,  pushing  his  mule  up  to  Peter's,  whim- 
pered Hke  a  small  child,  while  the  two  shikaris  hung 
close  to  Aram's  side. 

Peter  realized  the  gravity  of  the  crisis.  Turning 
to  Ras  Jemel,  he  said: 

"Follow  me.  It  is  the  only  way  to  save  us." 
Then  jumping  from  his  mule  and  waving  back  the 
trembUng  Melu,  he  laid  his  gun  down  on  the  ground, 
folded  his  arms,  and  calmly  walked  towards  the 
formidable  force  ahead. 

Not  in  all  his  adventurous  life  had  the  wise,  long- 
headed, old  Ras  Jemel  witnessed  an  action  that 
seemed  so  utterly  mad.  Inured  to  the  dangers  of 
desert  and  forest  and  bearing  the  scars  of  many 
deadly  encounters  with  men  and  wild  animals, 
nevertheless  he  shook  with  fear  as  he  heroically 
advanced  behind  the  white  sahib. 

A  deep  silence  had  settled  over  the  woods.  The 
very  animals  in  the  trees  above  seemed  to  sense  the 
suspense  of  the  moment.  The  black  men  were 
plainly  puzzled  by  this  display  of  daring.  Savage 
curiosity  overcame  savage  ferocity.  Little  by  little 
shadowy  forms  pushed  into  view  until  fully  a  hun- 
dred armed  braves  stood  staring  at  the  advancing 
pair. 

"Come  up,  Ras  Jemel,"  said  Peter  in  a  low  tone. 
"Make  a  sign  of  peace." 

Stepping  forward  and  throwing  himself  upon  his 
knees,  the  guide  commenced  waving  one  hand  above 

248 


KILLING     A     MAN-EATER 

his  head,  Peter  all  the  while  endeavoring  to  imitate 
each  movement. 

Suddenly  King  Manek  strode  through  the  ranks 
into  view,  and  this  time  followed  by  the  entire  crowd 
of  fighting  men,  he  again  approached  Ras  Jemel  and 
Peter,  a  ferocious  scowl  now  darkening  his  wild 
features. 

''Tell  him,"  whispered  Peter  to  Ras  Jemel,  "that 
the  white  sahib  comes  to  bring  the  spirit  of  good  to 
King  Manek— that  the  white  sahib  can  destroy  the 
spirit  of  evil  that  snatches  away  the  king's  son. 
Say  that  if  he  will  take  the  white  sahib  to  the  spot 
where  the  man-eating  beast  dwells,  the  white  sahib 
will  slay  the  Hon." 

With  throbbing  pulses,  Peter  and  the  four  Arabs 
in  the  rear  now  hung  upon  Ras  Jemel's  efforts  to 
renew  amenities.     For  minutes  that  seemed  hours 
the  scowling  monarch  responded  to  each  suave  ut- 
terance of  the  kneehng  guide  with  cold  impassiveness 
broken  only  by  an  occasional  growl.     But  at  last 
Peter's  heart  leaped  with   rehef  as  he  beheld  the 
Hues  of  the  stubborn,  black  visage  soften  into  a  grin 
when  Ras  Jemel,  at  the  termination  of  a  particularly 
enthusiastic  and  lengthy  series  of  gutturals  and  mad 
gesticulations,  reached  out  and  slipped  a  huge  brass 
watch  into  the  lean  fingers  of  the  king.     Nor  was 
this  feeling  of  rehef  lessened  when,  with  a  grunt  of 
approval,  the  king  came  forward  and,  dropping  upon 
his  knees  before  Peter,  thrust  forward  his  oily  and 

249 


THE     O  STRICH 

evil-smelling  features  and  calmly  rubbed  his  nose 
against  that  of  the  surprised  American.  Then  turn- 
ing round,  he  briefly  addressed  the  waiting  warriors, 
all  of  whom  at  once  began  crowding  round  Peter, 
fixing  their  eyes  in  mingled  awe  and  respect  upon 
the  countenance  of  the  strange  sahib  with  the  skin 
like  the  glistening  sand  in  the  deep  pools.  Yet,  in 
spite  of  this  childlike  display  of  savage  curiosity, 
Peter  sensed  a  certain,  cool  craftiness  in  the  manner 
of  the  king  which  he  knew  boded  little  good  for  the 
whole  party.  Thus  when  he  found  himself  corralled 
in  Manek's  little  mud-built  capital,  he  discovered 
that  both  his  own  and  the  safety  of  the  ^ve  Arabs 
lay  in  the  success  of  his  meeting  with  the  lioness; 
for  the  wily  king,  notwithstanding  many  suave 
protestations  of  good-will,  kept  them  all  vigilantly 
guarded  by  a  dozen  of  his  fleetest  and  most  stalwart 
warriors,  armed  to  the  teeth. 

The  wailing  ceremonies  for  the  dead  prince  contin- 
ued until  the  first  signs  of  dusk.  Then  warriors  and 
women  drew  together,  the  mothers  catching  up  their 
infants  and  driving  the  older  children  indoors  with 
shrill  cries.  The  king,  recHning  upon  a  mat  of  rushes 
before  his  palace  door,  scowled  constantly  and  at 
intervals  passed  his  wasted  hands  through  the  air 
above  his  head,  often  glancing  from  one  side  to  an- 
other towards  the  dense  thickets  around  the  edge 
of  the  clearing.  Even  his  interest  in  the  white 
sahib  and  the  cheap  pocket  mirror  with  which  Peter 

250 


KILLING    A    MAN-EATER 

presented  him,  finally  yielded  to  the  same  uneasiness 
that  had  affected  the  whole  village.  When  the  roar 
of  a  lion  sounded  from  the  adjacent  woods  this  sus- 
pense suddenly  crystallized  into  a  wild  stampede. 
Men  and  women  dashed  for  the  open  doorways. 
Manek,  with  a  grunt,  whisked  his  lean  figure  out  of 
sight;  the  armed  attendants  of  Peter  and  his  com- 
panions made  frantic  haste  to  get  indoors;  and  the 
Arabs  themselves,  catching  the  contagion  of  fear, 
dragged  the  mules  along  into  a  thatched  dwelling  in 
the  centre  of  the  village  where  all  except  Ras  Jemel 
huddled,  panic-stricken.  Assured  that  the  animals 
were  safe,  the  old  chieftain  finally  rejoined  Peter  and 
the  two,  going  to  the  monarch's  fifteen-foot  thatched 
palace,  knelt  down  before  the  entrance  where,  when 
His  Majesty's  countenance  at  last  peeked  out  at 
them  through  the  aperture,  Ras  Jemel  prayed: 

"Oh,  King  Manek,  now  that  the  hour  has  come 
when  the  death-dealing  spirit  of  evil  seeks  its  prey, 
have  a  young  goat  brought  alive  or  the  bloody  car- 
cass of  a  freshly  killed  animal.  Let  all  the  king's 
people  remain  inside  and  keep  the  doors  shut.  The 
white  sahib  will  destroy  the  dark  spirit  that  slays  the 
king's  subjects." 

Nearly  an  hour  later  with  his  back  against  a  giant 
mimosa  tree-stump,  Peter  sat  with  ears  alert,  peering 
into  the  fringe  of  the  forest  before  him.  Between 
himself  and  the  thick  woods  the  reeking  neck  and 
foreshoulders  of  a  young  gazelle  dangled  just  above 

251 


THE     OSTRICH 

the  ground  from  the  limb  of  a  small  sapling.  Day- 
light had  given  way  before  the  dawning  rays  of 
the  moon  and  the  glimmer  of  those  wonderfully 
bright  points  of  the  great  cross  overhead.  The 
silences  of  the  tropical  nightfall  were  now  broken 
only  by  the  twittering  of  drowsy  birds  and  monkeys 
in  the  trees,  and  the  occasional  distant  crashing  of 
some  huge  beast  blundering  through  the  underbrush. 

Suddenly  the  same  hollow,  thunderous  roar  that 
had  sent  the  whole  village  scuttHng  indoors  again 
rose  on  the  air,  this  time  near  at  hand. 

A  puzzled  frown  clouded  the  features  of  the  young 
American,  as  his  fingers  tightened  about  the  stock 
of  his  powerful  hammerless. 

*'What  a  brazen  hussey  to  roar  like  that!"  he 
thought.  He  turned  his  head  for  a  minute  as  his 
ear  caught  the  soft,  catlike  tread  of  Ras  Jemel  ap- 
proaching from  a  hut  behind. 

*"Tis  the  man-eating  she-devil.  The  king  knows 
her  voice.  She  defies  all  mankind  with  her  bellow- 
ing. If  the  sahib  slays  the  beast,  all  will  be  well. 
If  not — "  The  old  man  completed  the  sentence  with 
a  quiet  shrug. 

*' Are  you  armed?'*  Peter  asked. 

"The  king  has  the  rifles,"  the  other  answered, 
"  all  save  the  one  carried  by  the  sahib.  Shoot  straight 
if  you  would  live."  Then  turning,  he  strode  back 
and  Peter  heard  the  rush  door  gently  scrape  together 
as  he  entered  a  hut. 

252 


KILLING    A    MAN-EATER 

The  night  breeze  fanned  gently  against  the  face 
of  the  watcher.  The  beast  would  miss  his  scent. 
Not  a  sound  came  from  the  huddled  dwellings  behind 
him  but  he  knew  that  a  hundred  pairs  of  eyes  were 
strained  towards  him,  and  he  knew  too  that  many 
timid,  savage  mothers  with  quaking  hearts  and  chil- 
dren drawn  close  were  hoping  for  the  success  of  the 
white  sahib  out  there  in  the  dark. 

^'Oof!" 

The  sound  came  from  the,  darkness,  perhaps  half 
a  hundred  yards  beyond  where  Peter  sat.  The 
underbrush  crackled.  A  moonbeam  shining  through 
the  treetops  revealed  a  spot  where  the  leaves  of  a 
magnolia  bush  swayed  strangely.  A  lighted  space 
lay  between  the  first  fringe  of  foliage  and  the  bloody 
bait  suspended  from  the  sapling. 

Now  the  stillness  became  intense  again.  The 
leaves  ceased  to  move.  From  the  remote  depths  of 
the  jungle  rose  the  sweet  notes  of  a  nightingale. 
For  several  minutes  the  bird's  wonderful  melody 
pulsed  and  throbbed  through  the  night.  Then  the 
warbling  came  to  an  end.  A  ground-mole  popped 
out  of  its  hole  at  Peter's  feet,  sat  up,  stared  with 
cocked  head  at  the  motionless  figure  of  the  man  and 
then  with  a  tiny  squeak  of  apprehension  dived  head- 
foremost into  its  den. 

*' Swish!     Swish!" 

The  noise  was  very  faint.  The  magnolia  bush 
moved  again. 


THE    OSTRICH 

Suddenly  two  gleaming  balls  of  fire  appeared;  there 
was  another  pause,  a  crackling  of  twigs,  a  tense  gath- 
ering, a  sudden  swift  rush  through  the  air  and  Peter 
beheld  a  magnificent  queen  of  the  jungles  bound  across 
moonlighted  space  and  with  a  single,  lithe  leap 
bear  the  head  of  the  suspended  gazelle  crashing  to  the 
ground. 

He  waited  only  the  fraction  of  a  second.  Then 
as  his  eye  caught  the  light  under  the  brute's  fore- 
shoulder,  the  sound  of  the  big  hammerless  was  an- 
swered by  a  scream  of  maniacal  rage  followed  by  a 
succession  of  ear-splitting  roars. 

"A  hit,"  thought  Peter,  springing  up,  as  he  beheld 
the  man-eater  madly  clawing  great  furrows  in  the 
ground.  But  hardly  had  he  stepped  out  into  the  light 
when  the  animal,  now  infuriated  with  pain,  caught 
sight  of  him.  Then  on  the  very  instant  that  the 
quivering  beast  laimched  herself  at  the  spot  where  he 
stood,  the  D.  B.  spoke  again  and,  as  he  leaped  aside, 
Peter  heard  a  last  wild  scream  and  saw  the  muscles 
of  the  lioness  collapse  and  the  great  body  crumple 
up  in  mid  air. 

"The  sahib  has  done  well."  It  was  the  voice  of 
Ras  Jemel. 

Suddenly  a  new  commotion  burst  forth.  Shouts 
rent  the  air.  The  black  forms  of  men,  women  and 
little  ones  poured  forth  into  the  moonhght.  A  dozen 
giant  savages  raised  Peter  upon  their  shoulders  and 
bore  him  with  wild  acclaim  to  the  king's  palace  where 

254 


KILLING     A     MAN-EATER 

the  monarch,  with  an  unmistakable  display  of  emo- 
tion, threw  his  arms  around  the  American  and  insisted 
upon  repeatedly  rubbing  noses  with  him  and  each  one 
of  the  Arabs.  Other  negroes  lighted  a  huge  bonfire 
upon  which  the  carcass  of  the  lioness,  stripped  of  its 
skin,  became  speedily  exorcised  of  evil  spirits. 
Until  far  into  the  night  the  celebration  in  honor  of 
the  release  of  the  villagers  from  the  terrors  of  the 
man-eater  continued  about  this  sacrificial  blaze. 

At  dawn  the  king  and  half  his  warriors,  chanting 
the  tribal  song  of  victory,  accompanied  Peter  and  his 
companions  as  far  as  the  banks  of  the  Digon,  a  beauti- 
ful stream  that  wound  northward  until  it  finally 
joined  one  of  the  great  feeders  of  the  Nile. 

Though  he  had  already  bestowed  upon  Peter  his 
own  amulet  and  a  shield  made  from  the  skin  of  a 
white  lioness — the  highest  mark  of  tribal  esteem  con- 
ferrable — King  Manek,  as  soon  as  he  learned  of  his 
guest's  intention  to  go  up  the  river,  insisted  upon 
bestowing  upon  him  a  handsome  canoe  made  with 
a  covering  of  hippopotamus  hide. 

Thus  after  Peter  had  seen  the  two  shikaris  and  Melu 
set  forward  with  Aram  on  the  more  roundabout  land 
route  to  the  valley  of  Metan,  it  took  only  a  few  hours 
of  work  at  the  paddles  to  bring  Ras  Jemel  and  him- 
self to  the  enchanting  spot,  deep  in  the  very  heart  of 
Africa,  where,  between  great  flower-decked  terraces 
flinging  out  crimson  and  purple  streamers  of  fra- 
grance above  a  beautiful  silver  stream,  he  saw  in  the 

255 


THE     OSTRICH  ! 

distance  the  flashing  surface  of  the  thermal  lake  and 
upon  the  meadows  and  in  the  woodlands  surrounding  j 
it  thousands  of  snowy-plumed  ostriches,  already  run- 
ning wildly  here  and  there  because  of  the  approach 
of  himself  and  Ras  Jemel.  The  spectacle  overjoyed 
him.  He  saw  that  the  animals  were  penned  in  a 
bottle-like  enclosure  formed  by  precipitous  bluffs  sur- 
rounding the  lake  meadows,  the  only  outlet  of  which 
w^as  the  defile  through  which  he  and  the  guide  had 
approached. 

Ras  Jemel  showed  Peter  how  the  small  army  of 
birds  might  be  handled  at  will  by  building  a  low  wall 
of  sticks,  easily  gathered  on  the  heights  above.  The 
same  evening  Aram  with  his  three  companions  and 
the  mules  arrived,  and  the  next  forenoon  found  the 
large  caravan  also  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  the 
ravine. 

Then  for  four  days  the  Eden-like  enclosure  pre- 
sented a  spectacle  without  parallel. 

Grinning  Arabs  pursued  great  flocks  of  giant  Abys- 
sinian ostriches  to  and  fro  from  one  side  of  the  Basin 
to  the  other,  driving  the  long-legged  bipeds  round 
and  round  through  the  stretch  of  tall  woods  under 
the  bluffs  and  out  again  into  the  level,  garden-like 
plain  until  at  last,  spent  and  frightened  by  the  shrill 
cries  of  their  pursuers,  the  birds  would  run  blindly 
into  the  narrow  pass  where  they  were  deftly  garnered 
into  the  fenced-in  area  built  to  receive  them.  After 
that  it  became  only  necessary  to  starve  them  a  day 

256 


KILLING    A    MAN-EATER 

and  a  night  to  induce  each  one  to  take  its  food  in 
a  civilized  way,  and  to  enable  the  Arab  hunters  to 
transfer  the  struggling  animals,  blindfolded,  to  the 
cases  built  for  their  journey  to  civilization. 

On  the  fifth  day  the  work  was  finished.  The  last 
unwieldy,  ostrich-ladened  case  had  been  slung  upon 
the  baggage  camels.  Somalis,  camel-men  and  attend- 
ants had  been  marshalled  for  the  journey  back  through 
the  wilds  to  Trebut. 

Peter  stood  close  to  the  incline  that  led  down  to 
the  river's  slope,  leaning  against  his  flea-bitten  Httle 
mule,  a  look  of  satisfaction  upon  his  face.  Thus  far 
there  had  been  no  hitch  in  the  task  to  which  he 
had  set  himself.  The  spectacle  before  him  gave 
him  a  thrill  of  pleasure.  Momentarily  he  forgot  the 
hardships  and  dangers  that  still  might  lie  ahead  and 
his  mind  ran  on  to  that  day  when  he  should  again 
set  foot  in  New  York  and  with  other  men  and 
women  take  up  the  consummation  of  the  great 
purpose  which  spurred  him  on. 

Then  he  heard  a  Hght  step  behind  him  and  turn- 
ing he  beheld  approaching  a  brawny,  six-foot  Ethio- 
pian whom  he  at  once  recognized  as  one  of  the  chief 
warriors  of  King  Manek's  tribe. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked,  as  the  black  dropped  on 
his  knees,  but  noting  the  man's  look  of  incomprehen- 
sion at  his  English,  Peter  turned  and  called  Ras 
Jemel  who  stood  near. 

"Find  out  what  the  man  wants,"  he  said. 

257 


THE    OSTRICH 

For  several  minutes  a  conversation,  meaningless  to 
Peter,  went  on  between  the  two.  At  last,  as  the 
messenger  with  a  final  wave  of  his  hands,  softly 
withdrew  and  disappeared  below  the  river's  bank 
the  Arab  turned  and  exclaimed : 

''The  Shal-dikus,  eaters-of-men,  have  risen;  so 
have  the  Sams  and  the  Erolus,  both  makers -of 
human-sacrifice.  All  three  tribes  have  joined  to- 
gether and  now  lie  in  wait  in  the  forests  for  the  re- 
turn of  the  caravan.  A  terrible  death  threatens  the 
sahib.'' 


25S 


XX 

A  JUNGLE  BATTLE 

The  old  man's  words  brought  Peter  again  close  to 
the  realities  of  his  situation. 

*'We  will  teach  them  a  lesson,  Ras  Jemel.  We  are 
all  well  armed.  All  the  men  carry  guns  and  can 
shoot." 

The  old  guide  threw  him  a  respectful  glance. 

"You  are  brave,  sahib,  but  these  bushmen  with 
huge  bodies  and  hearts  that  lust  for  blood  are  crafty. 
They  know  the  forest  well,  and  they  fight  from 
ambush;  bullets  seldom  pierce  the  tough  shields  they 
carry  and  sometimes  their  arrows  are  poisoned. 
We  will  have  a  hard  fight  to  drive  them  off.  If  it 
goes  against  us — "  he  shrugged  his  shoulders — 
''they  make  slaves  of  their  prisoners,  or  kill  and  de- 
vour them." 

Peter  heard  the  last  words  with  unbelieving  ears. 

"Bid  the  headman  warn  all  the  camel-drivers  to 
be  prepared,  and  have  Aram  keep  a  sharp  lookout 
with  the  shikaris.  How  many  in  all  can  we  count 
on?" 

"A  hundred  and  ten,  sahib.  We  may  have  to 
fight  three  times  that  number." 

259 


THE    OSTRICH 

"To  remain  here  will  be  to  gain  nothing.  There 
is  only  a  single  route  back.  If  there  is  to  be  fighting, 
it  is  best  to  have  it  out  at  once.  Let  us  start  as  soon 
as  the  camels  are  ready. '* 

That  night  the  well-guarded  peace  of  the  encamp- 
ment was  disturbed  only  by  the  snarling  of  a  band 
of  hyenas  fighting  over  the  bones  of  an  antelope  shot 
by  Aram  for  the  evening  meal. 

The  stop  had  been  made  at  the  edge  of  a  level 
and  grassy  plateau,  the  last  open  stretch  be- 
tween tlie  Metan  valley  and  the  approach  to  Zar's 
domain. 

Before  sunrise  the  next  morning  the  long  line  of 
loping  camels  descended  the  incline  into  the  Abyssin- 
ian jungles.  With  the  advance  of  the  day  the  hard- 
ships of  the  journey  began  to  make  themselves  felt. 
As  the  sun  rose  higher,  at  first  beating  well  in  through 
the  trees  and  foHage,  the  heat  of  the  lowlands  became 
terrific.  Swarms  of  bees,  seroot  flies  and  other 
winged  pests  held  high  carnival  with  the  caravan 
animals.  The  bite  of  a  snake,  incurred  by  one  of  the 
camel-men,  caused  a  delay  of  several  hours.  The 
mule  carrying  Peter's  personal  baggage  stepped  into 
a  hole  and  broke  its  leg,  necessitating  the  shooting  of 
the  animal  and  the  transference  of  the  luggage  to  a 
camel.  At  the  noon  stop  an  ostrich,  frightened  at 
feeding  time,  badly  lacerated  its  body  in  a  fruitless 
struggle  to  escape,  and  Peter  was  obHged  to  have  the 
bird  killed. 

260 


A    JUNGLE    BATTLE 

His  spirit  chafed  at  the  delays  and  slow  progress 
of  the  march. 

Anxiety  over  the  possibility  of  an  attack  by  savages 
impaired  his  oversight  of  the  care  and  feeding  of  the 
ostriches — a  task  which  needed  his  own  and  Ras 
Jemel's  undivided  attention. 

The  trail  at  last  became  shut  in  to  such  a  degree 
that  the  sun's  rays  barely  penetrated  the  arching 
recesses.  Shortly  after  the  noon  start,  the  line 
reached  the  spot  where  Peter's  ears  had  first  caught 
the  lamenting  cries  of  King  Manek  and  his  tribe. 
No  wailing  now  sounded  in  the  woods.  It  was  omi- 
nously still.  Only  the  chattering  of  a  few  monkeys 
disturbed  the  solitudes.  Riding  ahead  of  the  line 
to  where  Aram  and  his  Somalis  were  performing  scout 
duty,  Peter  learned  that  as  yet  no  savages  had  shown 
themselves.  But  he  had  barely  turned  his  mule 
back  when  he  heard  Aram  riding  up  behind  him 
and  even  before  the  man  spoke  he  knew  that  danger 
was  imminent. 

*'I1  Ramad  has  just  returned  with  the  report  that 
the  forest  ahead  is  alive  with  negroes.  All  are  armed 
with  spears  and  shields  and  some  of  the  chief  men  carry 
guns." 

^'How  many  are  there?'*  asked  Peter. 

**I1  Ramad  saw  many — ^perhaps  two  tribes,  per- 
haps more.  They  hide  behind  the  thick  wall  of  vines 
beside  the  trail  and  it  is  impossible  to  count  them. 
II  Ramad  escaped  without  being  observed,  but  it 

261 


THE     O  STRICH 

is  likely  that  the  savages  suspect  the  approach  of  the 
sahib  by  this  time." 

*'  Remain  here  with  your  men  and  keep  close  watch, 
Aram.  I  will  return  presently."  Then  digging  his 
heels  into  the  donkey's  sides,  Peter  hastened  back, 
ordering  each  driver,  as  he  went,  to  halt  his  animal 
and  wait  for  further  orders. 

Ras  Jemel's  lips  tightened  grimly  when  he  heard 
the  news. 

**I1  Ramad  did  well  to  discover  them  and  to  get 
away  unnoticed.  It  will  be  a  hard  fight,  sahib;  but 
our  men  are  good  in  battle;  I  know  them  all.  Much 
raw  blood  will  flow  before  these  cannibals  beat  us 
back."  The  old  man  at  once  began  ordering  the 
camel  line  to  the  rear,  and  in  a  short  time  Peter  beheld 
the  last  of  the  beasts  trailing  past  the  spot  where  he 
sat  mounted  on  his  mule.  Going  forward  again,  he 
beckoned  to  Aram  and  his  companions  and  all  re- 
turned to  the  caravan  which  Ras  Jemel  had  halted 
in  a  forest  clearing. 

Just  outside  this  great  drove  of  kneeling  animals 
which  were  left  in  charge  of  the  mule-boys  and  half 
a  dozen  competent  Somali  hunters,  the  camel-men 
were  divided  into  three  groups  under  Aram,  Ras 
Jemel  and  Peter  and  ladened  with  forty  rounds  of 
cartridges  each  hunter  silently  crept  away  behind 
his  respective  chief  towards  the  spot  where  the 
enemy  lay. 

A  few  minutes  later  a  rifle-shot  wakened  the  echoes 

262 


A    JUNGLE    BATTLE 

of  the  forest.  It  was  instantly  succeeded  by  an 
ear-splitting  yell  as  a  giant  negro,  who  had  stood  half- 
exposed  at  the  edge  of  a  thicket,  tossed  his  arms  above 
his  head  and  crumpled  up  like  a  crushed  egg. 

The  ensuing  stillness  lasted  just  long  enough  for 
Peter  to  catch  Ras  Jemel's  grunt  of  satisfaction  as 
the  old  man  lowered  his  rifle.  Then  the  din  of  wild 
conflict  burst  forth. 

The  savages,  skilled  in  the  finesse  of  jungle  fighting, 
clung  to  their  protecting  barricade  of  almost  impene- 
trable vines  until  the  daring  Arabs  had  rushed  for- 
ward close  to  the  wall  when  a  horde  of  black  forms, 
armed  with  long  spears  and  shields,  poured  from  cleft 
and  opening,  launching  their  weapons  as  they  came. 

The  snappy  rattle  of  large  bore  guns  was  drowned 
in  the  terrific  yells  of  the  blacks.  Three  Arabs 
dropped  in  the  first  encounter  while  more  than  a 
dozen  of  the  enemy  tumbled  backward  or  sunk  down 
as  if  struck  from  above  during  the  brief  moments 
of  this  first  rush. 

Realizing  the  error  of  fighting  at  close  quarters, 
Peter  shouted  to  his  men  to  withdraw  to  the  protec- 
tion of  the  trees.  A  minute  later  both  Ras  Jemel 
and  Aram,  seeing  the  wisdom  of  this  move,  followed 
suit. 

Now  for  a  time  the  battle  became  more  desultory. 
Occasionally  an  Arab's  rifle  elicited  a  screech  of  terror 
and  pain  as  a  leaden  missile  found  its  mark.  Only 
a  few  of  the  savages  carried  guns  and  these,  for  the 

263 


THE     O  STRICH 

most  part,  proved  ineffective  because  of  the  poor 
marksmanship  of  the  blacks.  The  contest  bade  fair 
to  test  the  strategy  of  both  sides. 

And  now  a  trick  of  the  blacks  served  to  increase  the 
peril.  Suddenly,  and  with  cries  that  drowned  all 
other  noises  of  the  contest,  a  body  of  savages  rushed 
into  view  in  front  of  all  the  lines  and  advanced  in 
numbers  equal  to  the  full  strength  of  the  Arab  defence. 
At  the  same  time,  through  a  thin  opening  in  the  vines 
at  one  side,  a  giant  satyr,  scarred,  pitted  and  minus 
an  ear,  made  a  dash  forward  with  fifty  odd  followers 
and  succeeded  in  cutting  off  Ras  Jemel's  force  from 
the  others. 

Finding  his  men  assaulted  from  both  sides  with 
spears  and  arrows  driven  with  alarming  accuracy,  the 
old  guide  ordered  a  hasty  retreat.  But  when  his 
handful  of  followers  endeavored  to  obey,  it  was 
found  that  the  force  behind  was  too  strong  to  be 
overcome. 

Aram  and  Peter  grasped  the  situation  at  the  same 
time.  The  old  sheik  had  only  to  lift  his  voice  and 
point  out  the  penned- in  company,  to  his  Arabs.  Peter 
and  his  men  were  already  running  from  tree  to  tree 
toward  the  imperilled  force,  each  man  stopping  on 
his  way  only  long  enough  to  now  and  then  push  home 
a  handful  of  cartridges.  But  as  these  two  companies 
moved  forward  to  the  assistance  of  Ras  Jemel,  the 
line  of  savages  in  the  latter's  front,  reckless  of  danger, 
began  to  rush  in  on  the  trapped  Arabs.    A  quick 

264 


A    JUNGLE    BATTLE 

dash  now  seemed  to  Peter  the  only  method  of  extri- 
cating them.  As  he  crept  forward,  planning  how  the 
rush  could  best  be  made,  a  sense  of  danger  caused 
him  to  turn.  A  grinning  black  stood  ten  yards  away 
in  the  act  of  launching  a  wicked-looking  spear  at  his 
head.  He  dodged  and  the  huge  shaft  buried  itself 
in  a  tree-trunk.  Then  almost  before  his  gun  spoke, 
bringing  down  his  assailant  in  his  tracks,  he  saw  a 
horde  of  naked  forms  wriggling  like  snakes  through 
the  wall  from  which  his  men  had  just  turned  to  aid 
Ras  Jemel. 

For  the  fraction  of  a  second  the  youth  paused. 
Then  warning  his  men  of  the  danger  in  the  rear  he 
levelled  his  rifle  at  another  of  the  oncoming  bush- 
men. 

It  was  Aram's  force  that  for  a  moment  stayed  dis- 
aster. With  a  wild  Mohammedan  cry,  the  old  sheik 
and  his  men  sprang  forward  into  the  midst  of  the  line 
of  blacks  that  barred  those  with  Ras  Jemel  from 
freedom.  For  a  full  five  minutes  the  woods  rang 
with  blood-curdling  death-cries,  as  shot  after  shot 
from  the  Arab  rifles  woke  the  echoes,  or  as  some  one 
of  the  savages  found  a  live  target  for  his  spear. 

At  last  a  giant  black  sprang  from  behind  a  tree- 
trunk  only  a  few  feet  from  Ras  Jemel,  and  with  a 
look  of  triumph  levelled  his  spear  at  the  stalwart 
guide.  As  the  brawny  arm  lunged  forward,  the  old 
man  seemed  to  sense  his  danger  and  lurched  back, 
but  not  in  time  to  entirely  evade  the  weapon  which 

265 


THE     O  STRICH 

crashed  through  his  shoulder,  carrying  him  senseless 
to  the  ground. 

''Crack!"  the  rifle  of  an  Arab  behind  a  nearby 
tree  emitted  a  tiny  tongue  flame  and  the  savage 
dropped  dead. 

The  peril  of  the  three  companies  was  now  great. 
The  result  of  Aram's  heroic  sortie  had  reunited  the 
caravan  forces,  but  now  all,  instead  of  a  single  com- 
pany, were  compelled  to  fight  the  savages  on  two 
sides.  Realizing  their  advantage  and  superiority  of 
numbers,  the  negroes  pressed  on  furiously  and,  in 
spite  of  the  slaughter  wrought  by  the  desperate 
Arabs,  at  last  drove  the  men  into  a  closely  massed 
body. 

Peter  comprehended  the  desperate  straits  of  all. 
The  rushes  of  the  wily  savages  were  growing  more  de- 
termined. Deprived  of  the  leadership  of  Ras  Jemel, 
who  had  been  carried  back  by  two  Arabs,  a  number 
of  the  old  guide's  men  lost  their  heads  and  began  to 
shoot  wildly.  Several  fell  in  the  rushes.  All  were 
now  being  pressed  into  the  open  stretch  of  the  trail 
where  tree-trunks  no  longer  afforded  protection.  It 
had  become  almost  a  hand-to-hand  fight  in  which  the 
weapons  of  the  savages  proved  more  effective  than 
the  rifles.  Peter's  heart  sank.  Was  all  this  effort 
for  nothing?  Were  the  murderous  designs  of  African 
savages  to  thus  thwart  a  great  purpose?  He  beheld 
the  camel-men's  resistance  growing  more  feeble.  A 
spear  whirling  through  the  air  pinned  a  young  shikari 

266 


A    JUNGLE    BATTLE 

to  the  ground.  A  well-aimed  shot  brought  down  the 
negro  who  had  hurled  the  weapon,  but  instantly 
two  more  blacks  took  his  place. 

Suddenly  above  the  noise  of  the  struggle,  Peter's 
ears  caught  the  sound  of  a  new  and  strange  tumult. 
Savage  cries,  ringing  high  in  the  woods,  swelled  in 
the  air  from  the  rear.  For  a  moment  his  heart  stood 
still.  Was  the  chance  of  retreat,  even,  to  be  cut  off 
by  an  assault  directly  from  behind?  Then  suddenly 
as  his  eyes  glanced  down  the  trail,  a  mighty  shout  of 
relief  burst  from  his  throat.  For,  as  he  felt  the  last 
straw  of  hope  being  swept  away,  he  saw  a  great  force 
of  black  warriors  swing  into  view  and  at  their  head 
marched  his  sworn  friend,  King  Manek,  now  mar- 
tially bellowing  the  battle-cry  of  his  tribe.  On  they 
dashed,  leaping  to  join  the  Arab  forces  in  the  fight. 

Instantly  pandemonium  broke  loose.  Arab  and 
black  ally,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  tore  through  the 
enemy's  lines,  the  camel-men  in  many  cases  fighting 
with  clubbed  rifles. 

Step  by  step  the  cannibals  gave  way,  at  first 
stubbornly,  then  wavering  until,  as  Manek 's  huge 
warriors  pouring  through  the  jungle  walls  invaded 
the  last  defence,  panic  seized  many  of  the  enemy, 
and  with  wild  cries  of  terror  they  fled  in  all  directions 
through  the  dense  woods. 

Peter,  leading  his  Arabs  side  by  side  with  Aram 
and  the  battle-loving  old  monarch,  had  with  difli- 
culty  clambered  through   a  vast  sweep  of  trailing 

267 


THE    OSTRICH 

vines.  Finally  he  stood  with  lifted  rifle  about  to 
take  aim  at  three  negroes  crouching  behind  a  mass  of 
imderbrush.  All  about  in  this  mighty  forest  echoed 
sounds  of  the  running  fight.  To  his  right  he  saw 
two  Arabs  each  pick  off  one  of  a  pair  of  blacks  who 
had  sought  to  escape  detection  by  swinging  them- 
selves into  the  branches  of  a  low  tree.  Unnoticed  by 
the  trio  in  front  of  him,  Peter  had  brought  his  rifle 
to  his  shoulder,  when  the  snap  of  a  branch  above  his 
head  caused  him  to  glance  quickly  upward.  In  the 
fraction  of  that  instant  before  something  smote  the 
top  of  his  head  with  the  force  of  a  sledge-hammer 
blow,  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  huge  arm  stretched  in 
front  of  a  devilishly  grinning  and  scarred  counte- 
nance, from  one  side  of  which  a  black  ear  was  miss- 
ing.    Then  darkness  engulfed  him. 


268 


XXI 

AMONG  THE   CANNIBALS 

Peter  wakened  to  the  consciousness  of  throbbing 
temples,  an  aching  and  tortured  body  and  bruised 
limbs.  Attempting  to  lift  an  arm,  he  discovered  that 
tightly  corded  thongs  were  cutting  into  both  wrists 
and  ankles.  Then  a  medley  of  strange  noises  as- 
sailed his  ears.    He  opened  his  eyes. 

Two  satin-skinned  negroes  armed  with  formidable 
hippopotamus-hide  whips  stood  facing  each  other 
inside  a  ring  of  yelling  savages.  Dripping  with  per- 
spiration, the  two  warriors  simultaneously  bent 
forward,  leaped  and  swimg  their  whips.  The  hide 
thongs,  as  they  bit  into  the  quivering  flesh,  left  a 
streak  of  red  that  flowed  slowly  down  each  naked 
waist,  coloring  with  livid  stains  the  loin-cloth  be- 
low. Back  and  forth  they  sprang,  the  shrill  "aies" 
of  the  women  and  children  rending  the  air  as  the 
duellists  balanced,  tiptoed  in  that  intervening  sec- 
ond between  blows,  and  then  swung  again.  Not 
for  an  instant  was  there  a  waning  of  the  hideous 
smile  fixed  upon  each  pair  of  thick  lips. 

Peter  saw  that  each  combatant  wore  upon  his 
right  wrist  the  trio  of  gold,  silver  and  leaden  bracelets 

269 


THE    OSTRICH 

that  designated  the  rank  of  chieftain.  The  two 
lashes  again  whistled  through  the  air  and  one  of  the 
men,  in  turning  for  a  moment,  showed  a  horribly 
scarred  profile  minus  an  ear.  The  face  was  the 
same  which  Peter  had  last  looked  into  before  he  lost 
consciousness  in  the  forest. 

The  thought  roused  him.  How  long  had  he 
lain  senseless?  Where  was  he  now?  What  might 
this  brutal  contest  mean?  With  an  effort  he  glanced 
about. 

like  a  meal-sack,  he  had  been  dropped  on  a  gentle 
inchne  looking  down  upon  an  African  village  whose 
hundred  or  more  conical-shaped  dwellings  were  the 
background  of  the  scene  before  him.  The  verdure  of 
towering,  forest  trees  fringed  all  the  clearing  except 
where  a  single  cliff,  apparently  of  clay  or  granite, 
formed  a  splotch  of  gray.  A  number  of  rectangu- 
lar openings  in  the  side  of  this  unusual  bluff,  indicat- 
ing that  it  might  be  used  as  a  temple  or  place  of 
habitation  for  the  savages,  momentarily  stirred  Peter's 
curiosity.     Then  his  eyes  went  back  to  the  duel. 

The  slenderer  contestant  with  features  regular 
and  unmutilated,  evidently  the  younger  of  the  two, 
was  beginning  to  weaken.  Suddenly  he  dropped  his 
uplifted  arm,  lowered  his  head,  leaped  through  the 
wild  circle  about  him  and  dashed  towards  Peter. 
After  him  sprang  the  whole  crowd  of  yelling  blacks. 

Running  easily,  the  pursued  man  reached  the 
prisoner  well  in  advance. 

270 


AMONG    THE    CANNIBALS 

"Togolo  come  back."  The  man's  eyes  rested  on 
the  face  of  the  other  for  an  instant.  Then  with  mo- 
tions as  lithe  as  those  of  a  panther,  the  lacerated 
form  disappeared  in  the  shadows  of  the  forest. 

Past  Peter  now  straggled  the  pursuers — huge- 
limbed  warriors  led  by  the  marred-faced  chieftain, 
and  a  mob  of  screeching  women  and  children.  His 
mind  was  still  busy  with  the  riddle  of  the  duel  and  the 
mysterious  message,  when  he  heard  the  baffled  cries 
of  this  returning  crowd.  Then  the  feverish  agony 
of  throbbing  head  and  cramped  limbs  was  resolved 
into  a  twofold  torture,  when  amid  howls  of  fiendish 
glee,  a  naked  foot  sent  him  helplessly  rolling  down 
the  incline  into  a  briar-strewn  gully  below.  While 
half-naked,  savage  women  and  impish  children 
leered  into  his  face,  and  with  spear  stocks  and  clubs 
endeavored  to  heighten  his  tortures,  the  warriors 
gathered  close  by  in  a  circle  and  held  a  discussion, 
which  from  the  frequent  glances  cast  in  his  direc- 
tion, Peter  knew  concerned  himself. 

Presently  a  bent  and  emaciated  black  emerged 
from  a  distant  house.  As  Peter's  tormentors  caught 
sight  of  him,  a  chorus  of  feminine  screeches  reinforced 
by  a  mighty  howling  of  the  males  swelled  into  a  loud 
tumult.  Now  ten  youths  rose,  walked  slowly  toward 
the  dwelling  from  which  the  man  had  issued,  entered 
and  presently  came  out  again,  each  bearing  a  white- 
robed  figure  in  his  arms.  Peter  knew  that  the  funeral 
rites  of  the  tribe's  dead  battle-heroes  were  to  occur. 

271 


THE    OSTRICH 

Amid  terrific  bowlings  the  corpses  were  strung 
along  the  ground  in  the  centre  of  the  clearing.  Then 
scattering  to  the  different  dwellings,  both  men  and 
women  presently  reappeared,  their  bodies  painted 
in  such  hues  as  to  represent  different  wild  beasts, 
while  each  wore  over  his  features  the  head  of  whatever 
animal  he  represented.  Though  it  was  still  forenoon, 
a  great  bonfire  was  now  lighted  and  about  the  blaze 
all  except  a  few  of  the  older  persons  and  the  children 
threw  themselves  wildly  into  the  mourning  dance. 

Peter's  interest  in  these  gyrations  and  his  fore- 
bodings of  what  they  meant  to  himself  quickly 
yielded  to  physical  suffering.  Lying  helpless  with 
his  face  upturned  to  the  African  sun  during  the 
long  mid-day  and  early  afternoon  hours,  those 
panting  and  savage  forms  continually  whirhng — 
whirHng  with  frenzied  sounds — became  actors  in  many 
strange  pictures  that  crowded  his  mind.  Uncon- 
sciously he  clung  to  hope  of  rescue.  Even  when 
parched  and  bleeding  lips  and  swollen  tongue  pre- 
vented utterance  to  the  ravings  of  his  agonized  mind, 
a  grim  tenacity  of  purpose,  as  if  depths  of  his  being 
still  fought  on,  shone  in  his  blood-shot  eyes. 

The  frenzy  about  the  funeral  pyre  at  last  reached 
its  height.  Scores  of  the  women,  spent  with  their 
exertions,  lay  moaning  on  the  dirt.  Several  men  had 
given  in.  Infuriated  and  demoniacal  yells  indicated 
that  madness  had  seized  many  over-drunk  with  the 
powerful  ''tetch." 

272 


AMONG    THE    CANNIBALS 

Suddenly  each  of  the  ten  warriors  again  seized  a 
dead  body,  slung  it  upon  his  shoulder,  hurried  across 
the  plain  and  one  after  another  filed  into  a  lower 
opening  in  the  cliff  temple  previously  noted  by 
Peter. 

When  these  corpse-bearers  emerged,  empty-handed, 
a  new  access  of  shouting,  this  time  angry  and  men- 
acing, swelled  over  the  plain,  and  in  one  of  his  brief 
intervals  of  pseudo-sanity  Peter  fancied  himself  the 
cynosure  of  a  thousand,  sardonically-grinning,  black 
faces  and  leering  eyes. 

A  brutal  blow  dealt  his  bHstered  face  by  an  ugly 
negro  elicited  from  him  only  a  chortle  of  raucous 
laughter. 

''Ha!  Ha!  The  other  side — the  other  side,  Ras 
Jemel!  Pin  him  down!  Good  work!"  His  head 
bumped  against  the  ground.  ''Pigs — ha — for  just 
one  shot — just  one.  Who'd  have  thought  the  black 
devils'd  get  us?  We'll  beat  'em — yes,  Rosie,  we'll 
take  good  care  of  him.  Yes.  There,  there — ha- 
ha!" 

The  madness  of  his  voice  for  a  second  stilled  the 
mob.  Even  these  wild  men  superstitiously  drew  back, 
afraid  of  this  ''evil  spirit."  Then  just  as  his  senses 
were  fading  the  one-eared  chieftain  reached  down 
with  a  knife,  slashed  the  thongs  about  his  wrists  and 
ankles,  and  began  to  drag  his  limp  form  toward  the 
corpse  temple. 

A  sense  of  suffocation  brought  Peter  gasping  back 

273 


THE    O  STRICH 

to  consciousness.  Freed  of  his  bonds,  bodily  relief 
had  stayed  the  delirium,  but  now  each  breath  wheezed 
dryly  in  his  throat  and  every  nerve  and  muscle  in  his 
body  seemed  racked  with  pain. 

Save  for  an  almost  inappreciable  crack  of  light  at 
his  left,  the  place  where  he  lay  was  in  darkness.  The 
intense  heat  that  had  wakened  him,  convulsive  and 
stifling,  seemed  to  emanate  from  the  floor.  He  felt 
little  thermal  waves  rising  round  his  body.  Pain- 
fully he  climbed  to  his  knees  and  finally  staggered  to 
his  feet,  groping  at  the  walls  for  support.  Before  he 
had  time  to  reach  the  orifice  of  light,  his  flesh  began 
to  feel  feverishly  parched.  He  was  much  puzzled  at 
this.  He  kneeled  down  to  place  an  eye  to  the  crack 
and  the  heat  of  the  cement-like  floor  stung  his  bare 
knees  and  hands. 

The  hght  crack  was  an  infinitesimally  narrow  one, 
not  an  inch  in  length,  a  tiny  irregularity  in  the  edge 
of  the  clay  or  cement  casing  of  what  was  presumably 
a  door  of  similar  material,  but  with  much  twisting  of 
his  head  Peter  found  he  could  get  glimpses  of  the 
outside.  One  of  the  native  houses  was  within  his 
range  of  vision  across  which  now  and  then  quick 
shadows  moved.  Faintly  his  ear  caught  an  occa- 
sional yell.     He  sucked  in  the  air  with  his  lips. 

The  heat  was  increasing.  The  floor  was  now  pain- 
fully hot  to  his  feet,  yet  he  felt  that  if  he  removed 
his  lips  from  the  air  vent  he  would  stifle  in  a  few 
minutes. 

274 


AMONG    THE     CANNIBALS 

Terrifying  fancies  filled  his  thoughts.  What  was 
this  thing?  He  could  hardly  stand  upon  the  clay 
floor.  Lines  of  pain  furrowed  his  face.  In  a  moment 
of  suspense  he  sensed  rather  than  heard  a  soft, 
faintly  distinguishable  sound  of  burning  wood.  It 
came  from  beneath.  He  started  up  with  a  frightful 
conviction  obsessing  him.  Was  he  then  in  an  oven — 
baking — to  be  eaten?  Panic  seized  his  mind.  His 
reason  toppled;  he  giggled.  Then  he  struck  his 
lacerated  hands  against  the  walls  and  shouted — 
hoarsely,  madly — flinging  himself,  regardless  of  pain 
or  burning  heat,  against  the  solid  door.  His  scream 
echoed  through  that  closed  dungeon  of  fearful,  hideous 
death — echoed  again  and  again — until,  just  as  the 
door  swung  inward  admitting  a  soft  rush  of  air  and 
the  panting  form  of  Togolo,  the  savage  chieftain, 
something  snapped  in  his  head  and  he  dropped  with 
a  final  cry,  senseless  and  inert. 


As  the  young  warrior  dragged  the  unconscious  body 
of  Peter  through  the  orifice  of  that  catacomb,  his 
eyes  fell  upon  a  scene  which  caused  even  his  stoical 
negro  features  to  wrinkle  with  wonder. 

Across  the  brow  of  the  incline  up  which  he  had 
fled  that  same  day  now  gleamed  a  long  line  of  white- 
clad,  helmeted,  native  soldiers,  each  standing  armed 
at  martial  attention,  the  sun  glistening  and  glinting 
upon  their  shining  rifle  barrels,  while  in  front  of  this 

275 


THE     O  STRICH 

array,  mounted  on  the  back  of  a  milk-white  mule,  Zar, 
queen  of  the  Rhadanians,  dispenser  of  justice  among 
scores  of  Abyssinian  tribes,  sat  erect  and  motionless. 

At  the  left  of  the  queen's  lines,  with  spears  sus- 
pended and  respectful  faces,  stood  a  throng  of  naked 
blacks  in  front  of  whom  was  old  King  Manek  on  his 
knees,  his  glances  divided  between  the  queen's 
face  and  a  much-scarred,  one-eared  chieftain  advanc- 
ing alone  up  the  hill  from  the  basin  clearing  below, 
where  another  cluster  of  warriors  stood  sullenly 
glowering. 

As  the  chief  halted,  Zar,  lifting  one  hand,  pointed 
across  the  valley  to  Togolo  standing  outside  the  cliff 
vault  holding  the  Hmp  body  of  Peter  Rutledge  in 
his  arms.  Then  she  began  to  speak,  addressing  the 
savage  in  low  tense  tones. 

Having  listened  all  the  while  in  an  attitude  that 
clearly  spoke  defiance,  the  negro  threw  back  his  head 
and  swung  out  his  arms  untemporizingly  as  the  queen 
finished. 

For  a  moment  Zar  seemed  to  reflect,  her  serene 
face  studying  the  man  closely.  Then  she  turned  and 
nodded  toward  the  line  behind  her  and  a  group  of 
young  warriors  darted  across  the  grass,  seized  and 
bound  the  snarling  savage  and  bore  him  to  the  rear. 


When  Peter  again  opened  his  eyes,  he  was  lying 
upon  a  litter  borne  by  four  blacks,  each  attired  in  cool 

276 


AMONG    THE     CANNIBALS 

white  linen.  From  beneath  his  sheltering  awning 
he  could  make  out  the  helmeted  heads  and  shoulders 
of  many  more  men  both  in  front  and  behind  him, 
all  in  the  same  spotless  white  raiment.  Walls  of  vines, 
flower-spangled,  trailing  from  towering  tropical  trees 
on  either  side,  indicated  the  presence  of  a  surrounding 
forest.  Great  bandages  swathing  not  only  his  hands, 
but  his  legs,  head  and  part  of  his  body,  and  giving  off 
a  pleasing  odor,  prevented  him  from  rubbing  his  eyes 
in  surprise. 

"My  brother  is  awake  at  last.  All  then  is  well!" 
Looking  up,  he  beheld  the  calm,  gray  eyes  of  Zar 
fixed  upon  him  with  affectionate  interest. 

"Do  not  talk — "  as  his  lips  feebly  moved.  "Thou 
hast  come  through  safely.  The  ostrich-ladened  car- 
avan is  safe  and  waits  for  thee  at  Trebut.  All  is 
ready  for  thy  departure.  In  a  few  days  the  oil  will 
have  soothed  and  healed  thy  wounds.  Then  will 
Zar,  thy  sister,  send  thee  on  thy  way." 

She  rode  beside  him  on  her  handsomely  caparisoned 
mule,  holding  up  an  edge  of  the  canopy  with  one  hand 
while  she  spoke. 

"Now  thou  hadst  best  sleep,  the  more  to  lighten 
thy  sufferings  and  hasten  the  time  of  farewell  to  which 
my  heart  tells  me  even  now  thou  lookest  forward 
with  impatience." 

Three  days  afterwards  Peter  lay  a  convalescent 
in  an  airy  apartment  of  Zar's  palace.  The  tall, 
gaunt  figure   of  Ras   Jemel,   his  shoulder  wrapped 

277 


THE     OSTRICH 

in  many  bandages,  was  seated  near  the  foot  of  the 
bed. 

^' These  cannibal  dogs,  sahib,  in  some  way  learned 
the  secret,"  the  old  man  was  explaining.  *'In  their 
houses  they  sometimes  have  ovens  made  of  this  sub- 
stance, harder  than  clay  and  capable  of  standing 
great  heat.  But  for  Togolo,  whose  quarrel  with  the 
one-eared  Mentabu  is  of  long  standing,  the  sahib 
would  surely  have  been  roasted  to  a  crisp  in  that  oven 
of  death;  for  beneath  the  floor  a  great  shut-in  fire 
of  burning  coals  is  kept  alive  for  three  days  when  a 
meal  of  man  flesh  is  being  prepared." 

''But  what  about  the  duel  with  whips?"  asked 
Peter. 

''Disputes  in  Abyssinia  are  often  settled  that  way. 
It  is  a  test  of  the  groom's  bravery  in  marriage,  too. 
Togolo  not  only  refused  to  help  lead  his  followers, 
but  he  also  opposed  the  attack  on  the  caravan. 
When  the  sahib  was  later  brought  in  stunned  and 
bound,  Togolo  would  not  consent  to  a  cannibal  feast. 
He  held  out  against  all  the  tribe  and  Mentabu. 
The  duel  was  to  decide  which  of  these  two  head 
fighting  men  should  yield.  The  sahib  owes  his  life  to 
the  quick  thought  of  Togolo  in  leading  King  Manek 
to  the  rescue. 

''Four  of  our  men  were  killed  and  many  injured  in 
the  fight,  but  the  ostriches  are  safe  and  well  cared 
for.  When  will  the  sahib  be  ready  to  begin  the 
journey  back?" 

278 


AMONG    THE    CANNIBALS 

''Can't  you  curb  your  impatience  until  your 
wounds  heal?"  asked  Peter  with  twinkling  eyes. 

"  This  hurt— it  is  nothing,"  replied  the  Arab.  ''  All 
will  be  in  readiness  on  the  second  day  hence." 

The  old  man  rose  and  with  a  bow  withdrew,  leaving 
the  younger  one  to  sleep.  A  few  hours  later  Peter 
wakened  much  refreshed  to  find  Zar  standing  near 
the  window  looking  towards  him. 

''In  two  days  my  brother  from  across  the  seas  is 
going  away,"  she  said.  "Triumphing  over  many 
dangers  and  hardships,  he  first  came  to  Trebut. 
By  those  conscious  waves  of  thought  which,  in  minds 
attuned,  reach  out  across  the  spaces,  flashing  back 
knowledge  of  events  and  things  and  presaging  future 
happenings,  Zar  knew  her  brother's  coming  far  ahead. 
Through  that  same  spirit  force  she  was  apprised  of 
his  danger  in  the  forest.  Again  the  power  mysteri- 
ously reveals  its  purpose.  In  thy  going,  brother, 
Zar  goes  too— but  not  with  thee.  The  wings  of 
evening,  the  silence  of  stars,  the  shadows  now  beckon 
about  her,  presaging  death." 

Peter  lifted  his  head  from  his  pillow,  raising  a  pro- 
testing hand. 

"It  must  not  be  so,  my  sister,"  he  said.  "Who 
then  would  carry  on  your  work  here?" 

"Zar's  task  is  fulfilled  when  thou  goest.  My 
people  have  learned  to  stand  alone.  Thou  and 
others  after  thee  are  henceforth  to  carry  forward 
destiny's  design.     We  are  each  but  the  fashioner  of  a 

279 


THE    OSTRICH 

link  in  the  great  chain  of  circumstances  that  one 
day  shall  reunite  all  mankind  in  co-operative  accord. 
Once  our  work  is  done,  the  need  of  us  ceases.  Others, 
there  are  always,  to  fill  the  places  we  vacate. 

^'And  now  give  heed,  my  brother.  The  secret 
of  thy  mission  has  been  betrayed.  A  troop  of  French 
soldiers  ride  along  the  border,  seeking  thee.  Both 
the  English  and  the  French  have  become  suspicious. 
Thou  art  known  far  and  wide  as  the  ^Yankee 
poacher.'  Unless  thou  dost  slip  away  secretly, 
thou  wilt  risk  the  seizure  and  loss  of  all  thy  birds. 

*' Therefore  lead  thy  caravan  by  night  into  the 
desert  where  runs  a  secret  trail  known  only  to  a  few 
of  all  the  Arab  tribes.  Ras  Jemel  will  guide  thee. 
Thou  shalt  hide  at  the  coming  of  each  dawn  and  rest 
all  day,  waiting  patiently  until  the  stars  glimmer  and 
the  great  cross  creeps  once  again  up  into  the  sky. 
Let  Ras  Jemel  lead  the  caravan  to  the  borders  of 
that  bay  ten  leagues  to  the  north  of  Shaliti.  Then 
go  thou  alone,  disguised,  and  seek  aid  in  that  city. 

''Escape  is  assured  thee  if  thou  dost  heed  all  these 
things. 

''I  see  a  man  with  sun-tanned  visage,  broad  of 
chest  and  neck,  and  wearing  a  beard  thick  and  full. 
When  he  speaks,  'tis  Hke  the  rough  west  wind  that 
roareth  in  the  mountain  caves.  But  his  deep  blue 
eyes  are  as  gentle  as  a  child's.  Once  thou  hast 
come  to  the  coast,  seek  him  out.     He  will  guide  thee 


on." 


280 


AMONG    THE    CANNIBALS 

"How  do  you  know  all  these  things,  wise  sister? 
I  will  not  believe  that  you  are  not  to  live  with  your 
people  many  years." 

The  pensive  look  returned  to  her  eyes. 

"Just  as  I  knew  of  thy  coming  and  that  death 
threatened  thee,  so  are  other  events  revealed.  To- 
morrow afternoon  thou  shalt  come  and  see  that  all 
has  been  rightly  arranged  for  thy  desert  journey. 
To-morrow  night  if  thou  art  well  enough,  thou  shalt 
ride  away  upon  my  favorite  camel  at  the  head  of 
the  caravan.  Dost  that  not  please  thee,  impatient 
one?"  she  asked,  and  smiled  at  the  look  of  eagerness 
in  Peter's  eyes. 

Still  limping  a  little  but  with  his  strength  ahnost 
wholly  recovered,  Peter,  clad  in  his  khaki  suit, 
strode  into  the  great  square  before  Zar's  palace  the 
next  day,  ready  for  new  adventures.  Before  him 
long  lines  of  imgainly,  wooden  cases  standing  in  front 
of  a  row  of  tents,  and  many  noisy  animals  and  camel- 
men,  indicated  the  presence  of  the  ostrich  camp. 
The  spectacle  gave  him  a  feeling  of  profound  thankful- 
ness and  joy.  Once  again  he  felt  himself  giving  reign 
to  dehghtful  imaginings.  Alive  after  so  many 
dangers,  might  he  not  now  hope  to  go  on  to  the  end! 
He  beheld  Zar  and  Ras  Jemel,  the  latter  with  a  band- 
aged arm,  each  mounted  upon  a  mule  and  escorted 
by  four  white-clad  attendants  armed  with  spears, 
coming  toward  him.  His  heart  swelled  with  gratitude 
toward  both  the  old  man  who  had  stood  by  him  so 

281 


THE    O  STRICH 

stanchly  and  the  wonderful  woman  of  wisdom  and 
mystery.  Inexplicable  though  it  was,  Zar,  whose 
knowledge  seemed  to  have  rightly  solved  every  per- 
plexity of  human  life,  had  proved  herself  a  predes- 
tined instrument  in  the  carrying  forward  of  his 
purpose. 

He  felt  the  weight  of  his  debt  to  her;  he  reverenced 
the  greatness  of  her  character;  above  all,  he  re- 
spected her  reliance  upon  those  spiritual  forces  by 
means  of  which  in  the  large  things  she  proved  her- 
self so  astonishingly  accurate  in  prophecy.  But  he 
was  unwilling  to  believe  that  her  life  was  to  cease 
now  that  his  path  and  hers  were  to  divide. 

He  lifted  his  helmet  and  standing  bareheaded  in 
the  sun  helped  her  to  dismount  when  she  stopped 
beside  him.  Then  together,  with  Ras  Jemel,  they 
went  the  rounds  on  foot,  visiting  the  wounded  men 
and  making  sure  that  the  camels  and  ostriches  were 
all  in  readiness  for  the  start. 

Never,  Peter  thought,  had  the  great  queen  appeared 
so  spiritual.  Though  her  Hps  smiled  often,  he  felt 
that  a  deep  inner  concentration  possessed  her.  And 
he  knew,  all  during  that  last  afternoon  with  her, 
that  a  presentiment  of  her  own  death  was  in  her 
mind. 


282 


XXII 
DODGING   THE  POWERS 

That  night,  just  before  the  moon  rose  and  while 
peaceful  Trebut  was  falling  asleep,  Peter,  with  Ras 
Jemel  and  Aram  as  his  chief  advisers,  set  out  with 
the  long  line  of  camels  and  Arab  drivers  toward  the 
eastern  horizon  of  the  star-powdered  sky. 

Zar's  farewell  had  been  brief  but  earnest: 

*'Push  on  without  delay.  Otherwise  thou  wilt  not 
escape  with  thine  ostriches,''  was  her  warning. 
Then: 

"My  heart  rejoices  because  thou  didst  come. 
My  spirit  shall  follow  thee;  my  hopes  shall  go  with 
thee.  Be  brave  and  persist.  Thou  shalt  succeed. 
Farewell,  my  brother!"  Her  hands  for  a  moment 
had  pressed  his.  Then  they  were  withdrawn.  After- 
wards he  had  mounted  and  ridden  away. 

During  many  days  thereafter  his  mind  reverted 
again  and  again  to  that  parting  and  to  the  events 
that  preceded  it.  Since  his  meeting  with  Zar,  des- 
tiny, or  was  it  Providence,  had  guarded  each  step. 
Circumstances,  events,  even  human  life,  seemed  to 
have  bent  themselves  that  his  designs  might  find 
fulfilment. 

283 


THE     O  STRICH 

For  three  days  the  march  forward  proved  un- 
eventful. Then,  at  sunset,  one  of  the  Somali  guards 
reported  that  a  squadron  of  soldiers  mounted  on 
camels  had  crossed  the  line  of  their  route  a  few  miles 
ahead. 

The  caravan's  course  lay  several  leagues  to  the 
north  of  the  regular  trail  from  lower  Abyssinia  to 
the  coast.  Since  setting  out  strict  watch  had  been 
maintained  to  prevent  discovery  of  the  case-ladened 
animals  by  nomadic  or  military  bands.  Zar's  advice 
still  guided  Peter  in  every  detail  of  the  journey 
though  much  depended  upon  Ras  Jemel  who  alone 
knew  the  direct  route  to  their  destination  on  Onota 
Bay,  a  miniature  arm  of  the  sea  about  thirty  miles 
north  of  ShaHti. 

Following  the  scout's  report  on  the  proximity  of 
soldiers,  Peter  delayed  the  evening's  start  until  the 
night  had  well  settled. 

Four  more  days  passed  before  he  was  again 
alarmed.  Then,  in  the  early  dawn,  sheik  Aram 
dragged  before  him  a  yellow-skinned,  one-eyed  spec- 
imen of  humanity  whose  cries  of  fear  were  mingled 
with  fervid  protestations  to  Allah  to  witness  his 
good  intentions. 

*'A  rascal,"  declared  the  sheik,  gazing  with  scorn- 
ful eye  at  the  wretch,  wriggling  about,  snake-like,  in 
the  sand.  *'E1  Rofu,  the  Somali,  seized  him  lying 
in  the  halfa  grass,  watching  the  caravan  like  a  fox. 
He  is  either  a  thief  or  a  spy." 

284 


DODGING    THE    POWERS 

Peter  looked  down  at  the  man. 

"What  do  you  wish?"  he  asked  in  Arabic. 

The  prisoner  grimaced,  rolHng  his  eyes  toward 
the  horizon. 

"  O  gracious  eff endi,  Abou  Emu's  lips  are  parched 
with  long  journeying  in  the  desert.  He  has  travelled 
far  and  found  no  well.  If  the  kind  effendi  will  but 
give  him  water  and  permit  him  to  proceed  on  his  way, 
Allah  will  bless  effendi  and  all  his  family." 

"Loose  him,"  said  Peter  to  the  sheik. 

Aram,  grumbhng,  seemed  about  to  obey,  when 
suddenly  his  hand  darted  into  the  folds  of  the 
stranger's  ragged  burnous  and  drew  out  a  ribbon 
bearing  the  impress  of  a  yellow  cross  surrounded  by 
four  golden  stars  on  a  background  of  black. 

"It  is  the  sign  of  the  military;  he  is  a  spy/'  cried 
the  old  Arab,  triumphantly. 

Peter  gazed  searchingly  at  the  man. 

"We  will  hold  him  until  the  end  of  the  march. 
Keep  close  watch  over  the  fellow,  Aram." 

On  the  succeeding  day  one  of  the  scouts  again 
discovered  a  squadron  of  cavalry,  this  time  on  horse- 
back, but  before  it  had  ridden  near  enough  to  detect 
the  hill-sheltered  caravan,  it  swerved  to  the  left,  and 
passed  from  sight,  without  suspecting  the  presence 
of  the  ostrich  bearers. 

The  narrowness  of  the  escape  again  heightened  the 
trepidation  of  Peter's  mind.  Only  when  he  at  last 
beheld  the  caravan  encamped  in  the  shade  of  a  grove 

285 


THE     O  STRICH 

of  mimosa  trees  overlooking  the  curved  line  of 
Onota  Bay's  silvery  shore,  did  the  thought  of  the 
next  step  in  the  journey  occur  to  him. 

^'Then  go  thou  alone,  disguised,  and  seek  aid  in 
Shaliti."  He  remembered  Zar's  charge  and  likewise 
her  strange  prophecy  regarding  the  unknown,  bearded 
man  who  was  to  aid  him  on  his  journey.  Hardly 
had  the  animals  and  men  been  assembled  in  the  se- 
clusion of  the  woods,  when  he  set  forth  on  this  quest, 
mounted  on  a  mule  and  accompanied  by  Melu. 

Turbanned,  burnoused  and  with  the  color  of  his 
sun-tanned  face  deepened  with  the  stain  of  berry 
juice  to  an  Arab  brown,  Peter's  appearance  was  that 
of  an  alert  young  Bedouin  sheik  rather  than  of  a 
white-skinned  Anglo-Saxon  when  he  finally  sent 
Melu  hurrying  back  to  the  caravan  with  the  two 
donkeys,  and  himself  set  off  on  foot  towards  the 
little  port  just  now  in  front  of  him. 

Avoiding  the  military  garrison  and  government 
buildings,  he  nonchalantly  strolled  through  the  nar- 
row, filthy  streets  of  the  Arab  quarter  until  the  azure 
expanse  of  the  harbor  and  sky  opened  before  him. 
A  dozen  or  more  small  fishing-boats  bobbing  at  an- 
chorage, a  grimy  side-wheeler  from  Suez  loading  dates 
at  one  of  the  wharves  and  the  low-lying,  gray-bodied 
hull  of  a  cruiser  just  dropping  out  of  sight  over  the 
horizon's  edge  were  the  only  signs  of  life  on  the 
water. 

Disappointment   shadowed    Peter's   features.     He 

286 


DODGING    THE     POWERS 

recalled  the  accuracy  with  which  Zar  had  described 
the  man  who  was  to  guide  him  to  safety.  With  sink- 
ing heart  he  asked  himself  whether,  after  all,  he  had 
not  overestimated  the  great  queen's  power  of  predic- 
tion. Indeed,  it  seemed  as  if  good  fortune  had  at 
last  deserted  him,  for,  without  ship  or  captain,  how 
was  he  to  escape  the  prying  eyes  of  authorities  deter- 
mined to  forestall  any  attempt  to  export  the  ostrich? 

Then  he  suddenly  forgot  his  misgivings;  the  sense 
of  disappointment  lifted;  his  pulses  throbbed  quickly 
and  he  stood  straining  his  eyes  toward  the  horizon. 
A  huge,  ungainly  hulk,  from  the  twin  funnels  of  which 
trailed  a  film  of  black  smoke,  was  slowly  materializing 
out  of  the  distant  sky  line,  heading  straight  toward 
the  Httle  gulf  port  where  stood  the  excited  watcher. 

When  he  was  satisfied  that  the  steamer  was  bound 
into  the  harbor,  a  motive  force  quite  impossible  of 
analysis  suddenly  spurred  Peter  to  action.  Striding 
down  to  the  waterfront,  he  beckoned  to  a  half-naked 
fisherman  who  like  himself  had  been  gazing  toward 
the  steamer  with  anticipating  eyes.  Holding  out  a 
piece  of  silver,  Peter  said  in  Arabic: 

''Take  me  out  to  the  ship  yonder,  at  once." 

Captain  Seth  MacCracken  had  barely  finished 
scowling  with  impatience  at  having  permitted  an 
''old  woman's  whim,"  as  he  called  it,  to  lure  him  into 
the  out-of-the-way,  flea-infested  port  ahead,  when 
his  ear  caught  the  sound  of  good  New  York  English 
coming  up  over  the  port  quarter. 

2S7 


THE     O  STRICH 

"Ahoy,  Captain!  Let  down  your  ladder.  I  want 
to  come  on  board." 

With  an  ejaculation  of  surprise  Captain  Seth  thrust 
his  whiskered  chin  over  the  bridge  rail.  As  his  eyes 
lighted  on  the  figure  of  the  man  who  had  hailed  him, 
he  roared  back: 

"Wall,  what'd  ye  want,  anyhow?" 

Peter  recognized  the  excellence  of  berry  stain  and 
his  flowing  garb,  as  a  disguise.  The  captain  mistook 
him  for  an  Arab.  Snatching  the  turban  from  his 
head,  he  cried: 

"I'm  an  American  looking  for  a  captain  who  wants 
a  cargo." 

Captain  Seth  squinted  downward  for  a  second. 
Then  he  let  out  a  large  mouthful  of  tobacco  juice, 
and  something  akin  to  a  bellow  of  astonishment 
reached  Peter's  ears,  as  the  great  blades  beneath  the 
stern  kicked  up  a  riot  of  foam  and  finally  brought  the 
Glendower  to  a  standstill.  Flinging  his  Arab  oars- 
man another  coin  as  the  man  brought  the  boat  along- 
side the  steamer,  Peter  scrambled  up  the  rope  ladder 
that  had  been  dropped  over  the  side,  and  shortly 
afterward,  much  to  the  amazement  of  the  officials  at 
Shaliti,  the  big  tramp  steamer  churning  up  a  geyser 
of  silver  in  the  outer  harbor,  turned  tail  and  steamed 
off  to  the  northward. 

It  had  taken  Peter  only  a  few  minutes  to  strike  a 
bargain  with  Captain  MacCracken.  It  required  the 
full  two  hours  before  the  Glendower  dropped  anchor 

288 


DODGING    THE    POWERS 

in  Onota  Bay  for  Captain  Seth  to  reconcile  the  meet- 
ing of  Peter  and  himself  with  natural  occurrences  in 
every-day  life. 

"We'd  have  headed  for  Cape  Town — straight — 
if  the  Deevil's  own  blow  hadn't  druv  the  Glendower 
clean  up  into  Aden  Straits.  Why  we  put  into  that 
sultry  little  hole  back  there's  a  mystery,  my  lad. 
Somethin'  told  me  to  come;  'twarn't  natural.  Ten 
days  ago  Captain  Seth  MacCracken'd  have  called 
the  man  crazy  that  said  he'd  be  wild-goosin'  off  the 
Araby  coast  takin'  on  ostriches  for  a  rapscallion 
Yankee  tryin'  to  dodge  a  forrin'  bluff. 

"But  here  we  air,  lad.  Whether  it's  Providence 
or  just  sheer  luck,  I'll  help  ye  out,"  and  the  big- 
hearted,  blue-eyed,  old  veteran  yanked  vigorously 
at  his  long  beard  and  spat  tobacco  juice  with  much 
profusion,  as  he  sought  vainly  to  leaven  the  new 
mystery  with  the  salt  of  sea-faring  common  sense. 

Peter's  heart  beat  high  when,  a  little  later,  he 
saw  the  ladened  camels  being  driven  one  by  one  to  the 
water's  edge  where,  with  the  Glendower 's  crew  pressed 
into  service,  the  cases  containing  the  ostriches  began 
to  be  loaded  upon  the  ship's  boats  and  transferred  to 
the  steamer's  deck.  Hope  thrilled  him  again.  He 
thought  of  the  triumph  of  getting  away  with  his 
precious  prizes  under  the  very  noses  of  prving  officials. 

"To-morrow  at  sundown  will  see  the  job  cleaned 
up,"  declared  Captain  MacCracken  after  watching 
for  some  time   the  tedious  process  of  taking  aboard 

289 


THE     OSTRICH 

the  novel  cargo,  and  Peter,  going  ashore,  sought  Ras 
Jemel  in  the  encampment  to  tell  him  the  news. 

As  he  approached  the  guide's  tent,  he  beheld  a 
dozen  shikari  hunters  under  Aram,  dashing  off 
towards  the  south,  while  Ras  Jemel  with  a  scowl  on 
his  face  stood  near  a  campfire  blaze  staring  at  a 
piece  of  paper  which  he  held  in  his  fingers. 

*'What  is  it?"  Peter  felt  his  mind  grow  suddenly 
tense  with  apprehension. 

*'The  spy  has  escaped.  Look!  The  rascal  dares 
to  mock  the  sahib." 

Peter's  eyes  quickly  deciphered  the  rude  Arabic 
scrawl : 

*'Abou  Emu  forgets  not,"  it  read. 

The  note,  the  guide  explained,  had  been  found 
sticking  out  from  under  the  saddle  of  Peter's  camel, 
a  few  minutes  before. 

Peter  silently  stared  for  a  moment  at  the  cryptic 
phrase. 

*'How  long  has  the  man  been  gone?" 

^'No  one  seems  to  know,  sahib.  It  could  not  have 
been  long.  He  has  stolen  the  sahib's  best  mule. 
Aram  seeks  to  seize  and  bring  him  back,  but  the  desert 
night  cloaks  well  the  hunted." 

Peter  reflected:  by  pushing  hard,  the  spy  could 
reach  Shaliti  in  time  to  bring  the  French  troopers 
down  on  him  by  early  dawn.  If  by  any  chance  the 
man  should  fall  in  with  a  stray  squad  before  he 
reached  the  town — 

290 


DODGING     THE     POWERS 

Peter's  aggressive  self  wakened.  Was  he  to  be 
beaten  at  this  hour — when  success  was  already 
dawning!  Hurrying  on  board  the  Glendower,  he  in- 
formed Captain  MacCracken  of  the  threatening 
danger. 

*'The  man  will  bring  a  company  of  French  soldiers 
down  on  me  by  sunrise.  No  law  yet  actually  forbids 
exportation  of  the  birds  but  both  the  English  and 
French  colonial  garrisons  here  have  been  ordered 
to  block  all  ostrich  shipments  imtil  the  prohibitory 
statutes  are  passed.  That  may  occur  any  day. 
Then  it'll  all  be  off.  Of  course  it's  mere  bluff  now, 
but  they'll  make  it  mighty  uncomfortable  for  me  to 
get  the  rest  of  my  cases  on  board  if  they  arrive  in 
time." 

Captain  Seth  tugged  at  his  beard. 

''What'll  ye  have  me  do,  lad?" 

*'Load  in  the  dark.  With  smart  work  we  can  have 
every  case  aboard  by  daybreak.  I'll  add  a  week's 
pay  to  the  wages  of  every  hand  that  helps." 

The  older  man  held  up  a  broad  palm  in  protest. 

''Seth  MacCracken'll  tend  to  that."  Then  rising 
from  his  arm-chair  and  jamming  a  generous  pinch 
of  ''Nonesuch"  into  his  mouth: 

"Ye  be  a  true  son  of  Yankee  Doodle,  lad.  There's 
Cap'n  Seth's  hand  on  that.  We'll  heave  every  case 
on  deck  by  morning  or  know  the  reason  why  I " 

Thus  the  first  streaks  of  breaking  dawn  were  light- 
ing the  last  case-ladened  boat  off  to  the  ship's  side 

291 


THE    OSTRICH 

when  a  sharp  command  ringing  over  the  desert 
notified  Peter  that  the  soldiery  had  arrived. 

He  had  finished  settHng  his  accounts  and  was 
bidding  farewell  to  Ras  Jemel  and  Aram.  A  small 
boat  manned  by  two  of  the  Glendower's  crew  waited 
for  him  on  the  beach.  Captain  Seth  strode  to  and 
fro  in  the  distance  across  the  steamer's  bridge,  making 
frequent  inroads  upon  his  pouch  of  fine  cut  as  he 
walked. 

The  murmuring  voices  of  the  tired  Somali  men 
became  suddenly  hushed.  Peter  saw  the  troopers 
halt  and  dismount.  Through  the  soft  mists  of  the 
morning  he  beheld  the  figure  of  their  chief  officer, 
still  on  horseback,  riding  toward  the  mimosa  grove. 
No  sign  of  Abou  Emu,  the  spy,  was  evident.  Had 
these  men  found  the  caravan  by  chance  or  had  the 
spy  been  left  behind  by  the  soldiers  in  the  rush  to 
apprehend  the  Yankee  poacher.  In  either  case 
Peter  knew  that  a  tiresome  and  undesirable  in- 
terrogation was  likely  to  ensue.  He  knew  that  em- 
barrassing questions  would  be  asked  about  the  two 
huge  cases  just  then  vanishing  over  the  Glendower's 
rail.  The  man  responsible  for  those  cases  and  their 
contents  might  be  invited  to  pay  a  visit  to  the 
French  governor  at  Shaliti. 

Many  of  the  camel-men  now  grouped  themselves 
expectantly  at  the  edge  of  the  grove.  The  light 
was  still  faint.  About  a  hundred  yards,  partly 
through  the  grove  and  partly  across  the  open  beach, 

292 


DODGING    THE    POWERS 

lay  between  Peter  and  the  waiting  boat.  He  was 
calculating  whether  he  might  cover  the  distance  be- 
fore a  good  runner,  starting  from  where  the  troopers 
stood,  could  reach  him,  when  he  heard  the  soft  voice 
of  Melu  at  his  elbow  saying: 

''If  the  sahib  will  wear  the  burnous  of  Melu,  and 
this — "  pulling  off  his  somewhat  soiled,  but  finely 
woven,  turban  and  offering  it  to  Peter — "  the  military 
may  mistake  the  sahib  for  one  of  the  Somali  hunters." 

Instantly  Peter  caught  at  the  suggestion.  He 
remembered  that  his  face  was  still  berry-stained. 

"Melu,  you're  a  prize,"  he  exclaimed  in  English 
to  the  uncomprehending,  but  plainly  pleased  youth. 

Barely  had  he  donned  the  head-dress  and  wrapped 
the  flowing  garment  of  dirty  brown  about  his  figure 
when  he  heard  the  voice  of  the  ofiicer  ask  in  Arabic: 

"Where  is  the  chief  sahib  of  the  caravan?" 

Unconscious  of  Peter's  suddenly  conceived  pur- 
pose to  attempt  concealment  by  disguise,  the  solemn 
faces  of  fourscore  or  more  of  Arabs  turned  in  his 
direction.    In  a  flash  Ras  Jemel  understood. 

"The  chief  sahib  has  gone  on  board  the  great  ship," 
he  cried.  "Ras  Jemel  will  send  him  word  that  the 
officer  sahib  comes  to  speak  with  him,"  and  without 
waiting  for  a  reply  the  crafty  old  man  waved  at  Peter 
a  commanding  hand,  pointing  toward  the  small  boat 
on  the  shore  and  the  steamer  beyond. 

"Bring  the  chief  sahib,"  he  ordered  authoritatively. 

As  Peter  bowed,  and,  turning,  began  to  stalk  gravely 

293 


THE     OSTRICH 

through  the  trees,  he  felt  the  twinkling  eyes  of  half 
a  hundred  or  more  loyal  camel-men  fixed  upon  him. 

Would  the  ruse  succeed? 

Hindered  from  divining  the  trick  both  by  the  gloom 
of  the  grove  and  an  affection  of  near-sightedness,  the 
French  officer  settled  down  in  his  saddle  to  wait  the 
return  of  the  supposed  messenger.  The  cavalrymen, 
attentive  but  likewise  unsuspicious,  stood  a  little  to 
the  rear,  stretching  their  limbs  after  the  night's 
tedious  ride. 

Meanwhile  Peter  walked  unmolested  out  of  the 
grove  and  started  across  the  wide  stretch  of  beach. 
But  he  had  proceeded  barely  a  dozen  steps  in  the 
open  when  the  morning  stillness  was  rent  by  a  don- 
key's raucous  braying,  instantly  succeeded  by  a  shrill 
voice,  crying  out  in  bad  French: 

*' It  is  the  white  sahib!    Stop  him!" 

Peter  recognized,  all  too  well,  the  familiar  tones  of 
Abou  Emu.     The  spy  had  arrived  at  last! 

Without  a  pause  the  American  bounded  forward, 
running  with  all  his  might.  Forty,  perhaps  fifty, 
yards  of  shelving  beach  lay  between  himself  and  the 
waiting  boat.  Awake  to  the  situation,  the  oarsmen 
were  springing  into  the  water  on  each  side,  prepared 
to  push  off  the  instant  he  arrived.  He  caught  the 
sound  of  their  encouraging  shout  before  the  pande- 
monium of  hoarse  cries  mingling  with  snappy  French 
commands  and  Arab  cheers  rose  from  behind  and  at 
his  right,  wakening  all  the  echoes.     Out  of  the  tail 

294 


DODGING    THE     POWERS 

of  his  eye  he  perceived  a  full  dozen  uniformed  men 
on  foot,  racing  madly  toward  him  over  the  beach. 
He  squared  up  his  shoulders  a  little  and  sucked  in 
deeper  breaths  between  his  teeth.  The  turban  slipped 
off  exposing  his  thick,  straight  hair  and  Yankee  profile. 
The  distance  had  considerably  lessened  between  him- 
self and  the  boat.  He  was  running  rapidly.  He 
would  beat  them  all.  He  was  almost  there — another 
second — 

A  little  wizened,  yellow,  one-eyed  face  leering  be- 
tween the  ears  of  an  ugly  donkey  suddenly  blocked 
his  path.  For  an  instant  Peter's  heart  sank.  Fif- 
teen yards  away  a  swearing  trooper  was  running 
toward  him.  Then,  almost  before  the  bit  of  pointed 
steel  in  Abou  Emu's  hand  had  had  time  to  poise  for 
a  lunge,  the  heavy,  flat  blade  of  an  oaken  oar  in  the 
hands  of  a  sailor  struck  the  spy  behind  the  ear  and 
he  dropped  senseless  to  the  sand,  while  Peter,  dodging 
the  donkey,  seized  the  stern  gunwale  of  the  boat  and 
flung  himself  aboard  just  as  the  two  rowers  thrust 
the  craft  away  from  the  beach  and  dipped  in  with 
strong  sweeps  of  their  oar-blades. 

Again  a  feeling  of  well-won  triumph  swept  over 
the  panting  American.  Standing  up  in  the  stern  of 
the  boat,  he  cried  out  in  French  to  the  enraged  otl&cer 
now  at  the  water's  edge: 

^'Monsieur  allows  a  Yankee  to  teach  him  to  run?" 

^'Diable!  thief!  I  will  arrest  you!  Come  back!" 
The  man  shook  his  fist  wildly  in  the  air. 

295 


THE    OSTRICH 

"Calm  yourself,  monsieur.  It  is  a  serious  affair  to 
arrest  an  American  without  reason." 

"Reason!  reason!  Name  of  a  dog!  Pig!  Are  you 
not  a  thief — have  you  not  stolen  the  ostriches?"  and 
drawing  his  revolver,  he  took  aim  and  fired. 

Luckily  for  Peter  and  the  sailors,  the  bullet  flew 
wide  of  its  mark,  and  before  the  officer  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  risk  possible  international  trouble  with 
another,  better-aimed  shot  the  boat  swept  alongside 
the  Glendower  where  Captain  MacCracken  stood  on 
the  bridge,  roaring  orders  and  shaking  his  fist  at  the 
now  madly  gesticulating  company  of  soldiers  on 
shore. 

A  minute  later,  even  before  the  steam  windlass  had 
hove  the  anchor  short,  Peter  from  the  ship's  deck 
beheld  the  French  troops  suddenly  mount  and  dash 
across  the  desert  in  the  direction  of  the  garrison  at 
ShaUti.  He  remembered  the  cruiser  that  he  had 
seen  from  the  shore  of  the  port.  He  remembered 
also  the  antennaed  arms  of  the  wireless  tower  reach- 
ing into  the  air  over  the  ofiice  of  the  governor's  build- 
ing there.  In  three  hours'  time,  if  the  squad  rode 
hard,  a  message  would  be  flashing  over  the  gulf  to 
the  captain  of  that  speedy  French  cruiser,  warning 
him  to  watch  for  the  Glendower. 

"Ten  hours  and  we  are  safe,  lad,"  declared  Cap- 
tain MacCracken  when  Peter  had  imparted  the  cause 
of  his  anxiety  to  the  old  sailor.  "Don't  ye  borrow 
trouble  about  this  'ere  man-o'-war.     The  Glendower's 

2q6 


DODGING    THE    POWERS 

got  a  pair  o'  heels  better'n  half  the  second-rate,  fuss- 
makin'  government  vessels  afloat." 

In  spite  of  this  display  of  cheerful  optimism,  Peter 
noted  soon  after  that  the  throbbing  of  the  great 
engines  below  began  to  increase  and  he  saw,  too,  as 
the  afternoon  waned  that  much  interest  among  mem- 
bers of  the  crew  centred  about  the  frequent  binoc- 
ular studies  of  the  horizon  by  Captain  Seth  from 
the  bridge. 

They  were  heading  for  Mosa  on  the  Arabian  coast, 
nearly  two  hundred  miles  from  Shaliti  to  the  north- 
east. There  all  except  about  sixty  of  the  precious 
birds  were  to  be  landed  and  left  until  the  successful 
test  of  a  long  sea  voyage  on  the  smaller  lot  proved 
the  advisability  of  transporting  the  remainder  by 
steamer  to  America.  There  also  suitable  food  sup- 
plies for  the  birds  for  the  long  Atlantic  trip  were  to 
be  procured.  Arabia  laid  no  taboo  on  the  ostrich 
trafhc.  Once  in  Mosa  Harbor,  the  prizes  were  safe 
from  the  interference  of  jealous  governments.  Early 
evening  would  bring  into  view  the  lighted  headlands 
of  the  little  coast  city.  It  was  now  an  hour  before 
sunset.  Lack  of  proper  food,  added  to  the  intense 
tropical  heat,  had  harassed  the  caged  birds  until  the 
need  of  making  port  within  a  few  hours  had  at  last 
become  imperative. 

Pausing  after  a  wild  struggle  to  force  a  refractory 
biped  back  into  its  wooden  prison,  Peter  was  a  little 
startled  at  beholding  an  enormous  cloud  bank  rolling 

297 


THE     OSTRICH 

up  in  the  steamer's  wake.  The  heat  also  seemed  to 
be  increasing.     ''A  hurricane,"  he  thought. 

A  trio  of  sailors  leaning  against  the  forward  capstan, 
in  conversation,  frequently  looked  toward  the  dark- 
ening sky.  Captain  MacCracken's  frown  deepened 
each  time  he  glanced  at  the  barometer. 

The  old  man's  interest  in  searching  the  skyline 
had  plainly  yielded  to  a  study  of  the  growing  cloud 
bank  and  the  indubitable  signs  of  storm,  when  Peter 
saw  him  suddenly  pause  in  his  pacing,  grasp  his 
binoculars  and  cast  a  long  and  searching  glance  to 
port.  Then  he  turned  and  roared  a  sharp  command 
into  the  engineer's  speaking  tube.  A  second  later 
the  increased  vibrations  of  the  steel  hull  told  Peter 
that  more  pressure  had  been  diverted  into  the  great 
cylinders  below  decks. 

Straining  his  eyes  he  finally  made  out  the  evident 
cause  of  the  captain's  trepidation — a  gray  speck  be- 
hind which  streamed  a  cloud  of  black  smoke,  and 
which,  as  Peter  continued  to  look,  visualized  into  the 
outlines  of  a  long,  low  hull. 

"The  cruiser  at  last!  Intent  on  cutting  us  off," 
he  thought.  The  vessel  was  coming  up  on  the 
quarter.  He  glanced  upward.  It  lacked  an  hour  of 
sunset — more  than  that  of  darkness.  The  clouds 
astern  were  rolling  up  ominously.  He  heard  Captain 
MacCracken  shouting  new  orders  from  above  and  he 
saw  the  sailors,  singly  or  in  pairs,  pouring  from  the 
companionways.    After  a  time  the  whole  crew  was 

298 


DODGING    THE    POWERS 

on  deck  staring  at  the  approaching  war- vessel.  The 
latter  was  now  less  than  two  miles  away. 

In  attempting  to  cut  off  the  Glendower,  however, 
the  cruiser  had  fallen  slightly  behind,  and  the  pursuit 
— for  it  was  clearly  that — soon  promised  to  become 
a  stern  chase  with  the  man-of-war  well  in  the  back- 
ground of  clouds,  now  stretching  from  horizon  to 
zenith.  Yet  because  of  the  oblique  course  that  the 
cruiser  had  been  obliged  to  take,  it  was  at  first 
difficult  to  tell  which  of  the  vessels  was  making  the 
greater  speed.  In  fact,  as  the  Frenchman  swung 
more  directly  astern,  it  seemed  for  a  few  minutes  as  if 
neither  had  the  advantage  of  the  other.  Then  Cap- 
tain MacCracken's  voice  went  bellowing  through  the 
speaking-tube,  a  fresh  tremor  began  to  shake  the 
already  overdriven  frame  of  the  Glendower,  and  a 
perceptible  widening  of  the  distance  between  the  two 
vessels  began  to  be  apparent  to  everyone. 

A  sailor  who  had  been  sitting  near  the  captain's 
bridge,  watching  the  race  with  eager  eyes,  opened  his 
mouth  to  cheer — but  instead  of  shouting  he  gulped 
and  turned  pale.  Another  man  forward  threw  him- 
self down  on  the  deck  and  covered  his  face ;  still  others 
dodged  behind  the  Glendower's  rail;  an  ejaculation 
of  something  more  than  wrath  escaped  Captain  Seth's 
lips,  while  Peter  could  only  clutch  his  fists  together 
and  stare  in  consternation  at  what  he  saw. 

For  just  as  a  gust  of  wind  was  wakening  the  dead 
mirror  of  the  sea,  a  fiame  flash  and  a  ball  of  woolly 

299 


THE     OSTRICH 

smoke  rose  from  the  cruiser's  forward  quarter,  and 
an  instant  later,  travelling  with  the  speed  of  a  swift 
wind,  the  ripping,  shrieking  sound  of  a  shrapnel  shell 
rose  until  it  filled  all  the  air,  and  then  suddenly  lost 
itself  in  a  geyser  of  churning  foam  that  surged  high  out 
of  the  sea,  not  fifteen  yards  ahead  of  the  Glendower's 
bow. 


300 


xxin 

FULFILMENT 

In  spite  of  this  unexpected  attack  and  the  unques- 
tionably good  marksmanship  of  his  pursuers,  Captain 
Seth  gave  no  signals  for  slowing  down. 

''Bluff,"  he  muttered,  "they  wouldn't  dare  hit  us," 
and  he  again  levelled  his  binoculars  at  the  cruiser. 
But  owdng  to  the  storm  clouds  he  could  barely  make 
out  the  group  gathered  about  the  long  gun  on  the  war- 
ship's port  quarter. 

Suddenly  he  glanced  astern.  As  he  did  so  an  ex- 
pression of  satisfaction  escaped  him:  "Now  we'll  see, 
consarn  ye." 

Just  then  another  shell  came  screaming  across  the 
water,  this  time  dropping  not  more  than  five  yards 
astern.  But  hardly  had  the  sound  been  swallowed  up 
by  the  sea  when  the  squall  burst  with  the  roar  of  a 
hurricane,  blotting  out  sky  and  pursuer  in  torrents 
of  rain  and  a  darkness  like  that  of  night. 

As  the  captain  turned  back  to  the  speaking-tube,  he 
again  heard  a  shrapnel  scream,  but  this  time  a  long 
way  to  starboard.  After  that  only  the  whistle  and 
roar  of  the  wind  disturbed  his  serenity  during  the 
three  hours  before  his  keen  eyes  made  out  the  lights  off 
the  little  Arabian  port  toward  which  he  was  heading. 

301 


THE    OSTRICH 

Drenched  though  he  was,  Peter's  relief  at  the 
Glendower's  escape  left  him  in  high  spirits.  After 
the  steamer  had  cautiously  nosed  her  way  in  and 
found  a  berth  off  Mosa's  twinkling  waterfront,  he 
had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  all  his  unruly  charges 
well  supplied  with  fresh  food  rushed  across  the 
harbor  by  noisy  Arabs  from  the  little  town. 

It  was  almost  twelve  o'clock  that  night  when  he 
dropped  into  his  berth  in  Captain  Seth's  cabin, 
tired  out,  but  inexpressibly  happy.  He  had  won. 
Dangers  lay  behind  him  now.  After  the  delay 
necessary  in  order  to  send  ashore  part  of  the  birds  at 
Mosa  and  a  later  brief  stop  at  Port  Said,  he  would 
be  on  his  way  to  New  York  Harbor  with  sixty  os- 
triches. He  was  sure  there  could  be  no  miscarriage 
in  the  transportation  of  the  birds.  And  then — he 
would  hurry  direct  to  Bloomington  and  launch  the 
summons  for  men  and  women  to  join  him.  All  who 
did  so  would  help  to  build  up  a  community  in  which 
the  principle  of  co-operation  was  to  be  made  real 
and  perfect — an  example  after  which  all  future  man- 
kind might  pattern.  Even  while  fatigue  crept  over 
his  senses  his  mind  exulted  in  that  day  of  great 
achievement.  With  the  ostriches  as  a  commercial 
basis  for  material  growth,   failure  was  impossible. 


On  a  certain  evening  some  time  after  the  preceding 
events,  Peter  stood  before  an  audience  of  workingmen 

302 


FULFILMENT 

in  the  city  of  Williamsbarrie  launching  the  work  to 
which  he  was  now  irrevocably  pledged. 

After  landing  in  New  York  he  had  sent  for  a  cousin 
of  whom  he  was  very  fond,  and  together  they  had 
taken  the  ostriches  to  Bloomington,  the  ancestral 
seat  of  both.  Bloomington  was  the  one  place  dearer 
than  all  others  to  Peter  because,  during  the  happy 
days  of  his  childhood  and  youth,  he  had  learned  to 
love  many  of  the  warm-hearted  and  honest  people 
who  dwelt  there  and  in  the  country  surrounding  it. 
In  Bloomington  he  had  immediately  plunged,  heart 
and  soul,  into  the  task  of  wakening  men  and  women 
to  the  advantages  of  self-help. 

Then  gradually  the  field  of  his  work  had  widened. 
His  summons  was  now  being  made  to  people  in  many 
places.  That  afternoon  he  had  come  to  Williams- 
barrie, a  city  about  forty  miles  from  Bloomington. 
As  he  began  to  speak,  an  intense  silence  fell  upon  his 
hearers. 

^'Workingmen  of  Williamsbarrie, '^  were  his  open- 
ing words,  ''you  must  awaken!  You  must  organize! 
You  must  think!  You  must  put  your  thoughts  into 
action ! 

"The  world's  wealth  and  all  that  goes  with  it- 
education,  the  joys  of  travel,  the  happiness  of  com- 
fort and  of  deserved  leisure,  all  are  yours  if  you  will 
but  use  your  minds. 

"It  is  because  men  have  not  thought  but  have 
permitted  their   brains   to  grow  dull  and  inactive 

303 


THE    O  STRICH 

that  there  are  millions  in  this  country  whose  only 
hope  is  to  get  food  and  clothes  enough  to  allow  them 
to  go  on  working  their  lives  away. 

*'What  does  this  procession  of  the  impoverished 
and  the  famishing  mean?  What  does  it  mean  when 
the  average  compensation  of  each  one  of  the  army  of 
workers  is  four  hundred  and  seventy-three  dollars  a 
year,  while  each  produces  an  average  of  twenty-five 
hundred  dollars  a  year?  It  is  because  men  have 
forgotten  to  think. 

**I  call  upon  you  now  to  step  from  the  ranks  of 
thraldom  and,  by  uniting  your  dollars  for  the  erec- 
tion of  mills,  factories  and  other  enterprises — all  of 
which  shall  belong  to  you — to  proclaim  yourselves 
the  leaders  of  a  new  epoch-making  era. 

''Only  when  you  have  taken  this  step — and  it  is 
the  only  way  left — can  you  face  your  wives,  mothers, 
sweethearts  and  children  with  the  assurance  that 
you  are  free  men. 

"A  thousand  cults  have  been  proposed  for  your 
relief;  a  thousand  schemes  of  philosophers  and  re- 
formers have  been  advanced;  a  thousand  political 
parties,  in  times  past,  have  put  forward  as  many 
panaceas  for  the  betterment  of  all;  but  since  the  world 
began  all  such  efforts  have  failed  because  men  have 
not  thought  and  acted  as  individuals — because  the 
many  were  too  wilhng  to  pin  their  hopes  to  a  faith 
or  to  a  political  behef.  Thousands  in  the  slums  of 
London  live  lives  lower  than  those  of  beasts  because 

304 


FULFILMENT 

of  the  abandonment  of  all  personal  initiative.  Thou- 
sands more  in  the  Far  East  are  sunk  in  abject  destitu- 
tion because  of  having  blindly  followed  inane  super- 
stitions. 

''I  will  leave  it  to  you  to  determine  how  fast  people 
in  your  own  land  are  marching  in  the  same  direction, 
when  it  is  borne  in  mind  that  because  of  poverty  less 
than  two  per  cent,  of  the  children  in  America  reach 
college  and  not  five  per  cent,  reach  the  first  grade  in 
the  high  school. 

"I  will  leave  it  to  you  to  weigh  the  pitiful  inertia 
of  the  people,  when  it  is  remembered  that  forty  per 
cent,  of  the  three  hundred  and  sixty  odd  thousand 
children  under  five  years  of  age,  who  die  annually, 
could  be  saved  with  ordinarily  intelligent  preventive 
measures. 

^'To-day  two  hundred  thousand  children  in  the 
public  schools  are  rated  as  backward  because  of  the 
conditions  of  poverty  under  which  they  have  been 
nurtured.  Among  the  eight  hundred  thousand  per- 
sons living  in  New  York's  terrible  East  Side,  one 
person  in  eight  is  more  or  less  dependent  upon  alms. 
Thousands  upon  thousands  of  children  are  being 
broken  down  by  consumption,  spinal  curvature, 
anaemia  and  neurasthenia  because  poverty  forces  them 
to  work  in  the  dirt-ladened  and  poisonous  air  of  over- 
heated textile  mills,  factories,  dye-houses,  laundries, 
paint-works,  sweat-shops  and  other  places  of  toil. 

^'I  will  leave  it  to  you  to  judge  whether  the  toll 

305 


THE     OSTRICH 

we  pay  for  poverty  is  not  too  high  when  it  is  borne 
in  mind  that  New  York  is  now  the  acknowledged 
centre  of  the  white  slave  traffic  of  the  whole  world; 
when  it  is  agreed  that  the  system  of  cadets  and  pro- 
curers of  innocent  girls  here  rivals  the  most  notorious 
similar  organizations  anywhere;  when  it  is  certain 
that  tens  of  thousands  of  girls,  broken  by  cruel  social 
pressure  and  lack  of  training,  are  the  victims  of  this 
awful  system. 

^^In  one  of  this  country^s  greatest  cities  it  was 
recently  proven  that  ten  women  were  offered  for 
sale  every  week  at  prices  ranging  from  fifty  to  seventy- 
five  dollars  each.  In  this  same  city  one  dealer  made 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  a  year  from  this 
horrible  traffic. 

"How  long  would  little  children  be  forced  to  work 
out  their  lives  in  sweat-shops  and  mills;  how  long 
would  this  grewsome  white  slave  traffic  live  and 
draw  recruits  from  the  ranks  of  the  children  of 
poverty;  how  long  would  the  strike,  the  lockout  and 
the  bread  Hne  exist,  if  the  workingman  in  this  country 
were  to  imitate  the  capitalist  and  unite  his  dollars 
in  self-protection? 

''You  who  are  coal  miners,  think  what  it  would 
mean  to  each  one  of  you,  if  each  one  were  to  subscribe 
a  dollar  a  week  from  his  wages  for  the  purpose  of 
self-help.  There  are  over  four  hundred  thousand  of 
you. 

*'At  the   end  of  a   single  year  you  would  have, 

306 


FULFILMENT 

collectively,  over  twenty  millions  with  which  to  pur- 
chase coal  mines  of  your  own.  In  ten  years  you  would 
have  over  two  hundred  million  dollars  which  would 
represent  the  price  of  the  liberty  of  each  one  of  you. 
You  would  all  be  free  men.  You  would  have  forever 
smashed  the  chains  that  bind  you  to  servitude. 

"In  the  last  analysis  you  can  depend  alone  upon 
no  political  party,  no  church,  no  society,  to  save  you. 
It  is  you  yourselves  who  must  do  that.  You  must 
work  together,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  intelligently, 
knowingly,  sanely,  with  your  united  dollars,  and  in 
the  understanding  that  all  are  brothers.  The  ostrich 
shall  be  the  beginning  of  a  great  movement  in  America. 
We  will  purchase  lands  and  begin  the  establishment 
of  many  enterprises.  Our  factories,  mills,  workshops, 
banks,  industrial  and  business  institutions  of  all  kinds, 
shall  furnish  a  great  lesson  for  the  world.  Our  success 
will  grow  until  its  example  shall  attract  men  every- 
where. 

''For  centuries  man  has  been  looking  for  aid  from 
the  outside.  He  has  been  asking  for  a  loaf — and  re- 
ceiving a  stone.  Has  he  deserved  any  more?  For 
has  he  tried  to  help  himself? 

''Many  have  realized  the  need  of  self-help.  The 
hearts  of  many  have  longed  for  the  dawn  of  a  better 
and  a  brighter  day,  but  they  have  remained  too  timid 
and  too  afraid  to  take  the  initiative  themselves. 
They  are  waiting  for  a  body  of  vaUant,  true  and 
determined  men  to  lead  the  way. 

307 


THE     O  STRICH 

"I  ask  you,  my  brothers,  to  prove  yourselves  such 
men!  Be  the  advance-guard  of  this  mighty  army 
whose  watchword  is  the  bringing  of  happiness  to  all 
through  practical  co-operation." 

As  Peter  ceased  speaking,  a  burst  of  applause  filled 
the  great  hall.  Then  almost  before  the  noise  had 
ceased  a  broad-shouldered,  stalwart  man  rose. 

"  You  men  know  James  Bridden,"  he  began.  "  Not 
an  easy  man  to  convince,  but  he  tells  you  now,  boys, 
that  here  lies  the  salvation  of  the  workingman. 
WTien  we  move  to  help  ourselves,  our  troubles  will 
settle  themselves.  The  world  to-day  is  what  we, 
who  are  in  it,  have  made  it.  The  rich  man  gets  the 
loaf  because  he  goes  after  it,  while  we  fight  among 
ourselves  and  lay  down.  United,  our  wealth  and 
strength  will  prove  invincible.  I  beUeve  that,  work- 
ing together,  we  can  do  anything;  and  what  man 
will  not  follow  us  when  he  learns  that  by  so  doing 
he  reinforces  his  own  power  to  better  himself 
with  the  co-operative  aid  which  men  united  will 
provide? 

*' As  we  grow,  so  our  strength  will  grow.  The  more 
who  take  part,  the  easier  it  will  be  for  all.  Let  us  all 
join,  and  then  go  out  and  bring  in  others!  If  we 
act,  we  have  our  chance  to  at  once  begin  to  rise  above 
the  serfdom  that  our  own  stupidity  now  imposes  on 
us.  It  is  the  mightiest  doctrine  that  has  ever  been 
preached.  It  is  above  all  other  doctrines  in  the 
world  for  the  workingman." 

308 


FULFILMENT 

Hardly  had  the  speaker  resumed  his  seat  amid 
cheers,  when  enthusiasm  burst  forth  on  all  sides. 
Amos  Beyers  and  Peter  Caster,  two  leaders  among 
those  present,  each  earnestly  addressed  their  com- 
panions, and  they  were  followed  by  other  speakers 
of  different  nationaHties.  At  length  after  the  nu- 
merous speeches  seconding  Peter's  plan,  the  meeting 
closed  in  a  general  demonstration  of  approval  as  all 
present  rose  and  began  to  crowd  toward  the  platform. 

This  meeting  was  typical  of  many  wherein  Peter 
had  begun  to  appeal  to  people  everywhere.  Although 
he  had  been  settled  in  Bloomington  only  a  few 
months,  the  fame  of  the  ostrich  farm  and  of  the 
cause  it  stood  for  had  aroused  great  interest  and 
discussion. 

As  in  the  little  hall  at  Williamsbarrie,  so  in  other 
cities  and  towns  the  slogan  of  co-operation  drew  an 
army  of  courageous  people  to  the  standard  of  self- 
help.  Far  and  wide  the  newspapers  devoted  much 
space  to  the  growing  organization  with  its  head- 
quarters at  Bloomington.  Letters  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  and  from  across  the  water  poured  in 
upon  Peter  Rutledge. 

Coincident  with  this  awakening  of  interest,  the  in- 
creasing body  of  adherents  began  building  up  the 
industries  destined  to  supplement,  in  a  material  way, 
the  principle  with  which  each  man  was  imbued. 
Hundreds  were  becoming  interested  in  the  practical 
idea  of  self-help. 

309 


THE     OSTRICH 

Peter's  work  was  at  last  fully  started,  and  he  stood 
one  day  addressing  a  good-sized  crowd  of  enthusiastic 
and  happy  workers  who  had  come  to  Bloomington  for 
a  stockholders'  meeting,  when  a  group  of  five  persons 
entered  the  offices  of  the  association  and  paused  to 
listen  on  the  outskirts  of  the  throng  present.  Actu- 
ated by  the  same  spirit,  namely,  to  discover  at  first 
hand  the  meaning  of  the  many  reports  concerning 
the  ostrich  farm  and  the  part  that  Peter  was  taking 
in  the  enterprise,  Mrs.  Van  Siddons,  Ann  Newman, 
Max,  Alicia  and  Fehx  had  taken  a  holiday  trip  to 
Bloomington. 

*'We  have  become  the  leaders  in  a  new  era  of 
progress,"  Peter  was  saying  when  his  friends  came 
within  hearing.  *'Our  fame  has  spread  broadcast. 
The  unassailableness  of  the  ostrich  as  a  commercial 
factor  in  our  work  has  been  proven  already.  Our 
success  is  attracting  men  from  far  and  wide.  We 
are  beginning  to  disseminate  the  spirit  of  our  great 
cause. 

''How  many  of  you  are  dissatisfied  with  the  prog- 
ress that  we  have  made?     Not  one,  I  warrant." 

''No,  no!"  came  the  reply  simultaneously  from 
many  throats. 

Peter,  with  his  shoulders  squared  back  and  with  his 
sun-tanned  face  alight  with  enthusiasm,  smiled  from 
where  he  stood  upon  the  slightly  raised  platform. 

"Are  you  all  eager  to  go  on?" 

"Yes,  yes!"   came  again  from  all. 

MO 


FULFILMENT 

"The  first  step  has  been  taken.  To-day  we  are 
going  to  view  our  own  industries.  The  union  of  our 
dollars,  our  efforts,  have  created  them.  They  are 
ours.  The  ostriches  that  we  own  will  go  on  increasing. 
Our  incomes  will  go  on  increasing.  Our  success  will 
go  on  increasing. 

"It  is  a  happy  day  for  us  all.  We  are  not  empty 
theorists.  We  have  built  up  a  conquering  movement 
which  has  kindled  new  life,  new  hopes,  new  convic- 
tions in  the  hearts  of  men.  We  are  constructors  in  a 
transition  from  the  old  system  of  wage-slavery  to  a 
new  society  of  brotherly  co-operation." 

As  he  ceased  speaking  a  shout  went  up,  filling  the 
whole  room  and  the  stockholders  swarmed  round  the 
speaker,  shaking  his  hands  and  those  of  each  other. 
Happiness,  good-will  and  joyousness  were  predomi- 
nant in  the  tones  of  every  voice.  It  was  like  the  en- 
thusiasm of  a  great  religious  meeting. 

As  his  five  friends  stood  there  looking  on,  they  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  profound  significance 
of  the  spectacle  before  them.  Then  suddenly  Peter 
caught  sight  of  them  and  came  elbowing  his  way 
forward. 

A  little  later  when  the  crowd  dispersed  to  visit  the 
farm  and  the  mills,  Peter  recoimted  to  these  friends 
the  details  of  his  long  absence,  describing  his  meeting 
with  Queen  Zar,  her  amazing  wisdom,  how  he  had 
learned  the  secret  of  the  ostrich's  value  to  mankind, 
and  how  he  had  brought  home  his  flock  of  birds. 

3" 


THE     O  STRICH 

"When  I  arrived,  I  felt  that  all  things,  even  friend- 
ship's social  claims,  must  be  made  subservient  to  my 
work,  so  I  hastened  here  with  my  ostriches.  Since 
then  I  have  not  had  a  day  that  I  could  call  mine.  It 
has  been  real  work,  and  the  ways  of  it  have  been  in- 
deed devious. 

*'  I  have  been  searching  for  real  men  and  real  women 
willing  to  take  their  places  in  this  great  movement, 
and  I  have  found  them.  Three  women  school- 
teachers were  the  first  ones  to  lead  the  way  in  Bloom- 
ington.  Their  allegiance  proved  an  inspiring  ex- 
ample, for  enthusiasm  here  was  weak.  Many  who 
said  that  they  wished  to  help  fell  by  the  wayside. 
They  were  the  faint-hearted  and  those  incapable  of 
understanding. 

''But  little  by  little  others  began  to  fall  into  line. 
The  doctrine  of  the  brotherhood  of  man  has  come  to 
stay.  My  heart  is  filled  with  joy.  Hundreds  now 
realize  the  importance  of  self-help  so  completely  that 
they  have  allied  themselves  with  us.  We  are  all  on  the 
fighting  line  and  every  week  our  strength  grows 
greater." 

"I  am  glad,"  his  godmother  remarked,  "for  now, 
though  you  may  be  so  absorbed  by  your  work  that 
you  neglect  us,  you  are  at  least  safely  away  from  the 
dangers  of  savages  and  jungle  beasts." 

Later,  under  Peter's  guidance,  his  guests  were 
taken  to  the  ostrich  farm  and  were  also  given  a 
chance  to  view  at  first  hand  the  undertakings  that 

312 


FULFIL  MENT 

had  been  started.  Buildings  were  being  constructed 
and  factories  were  in  process  of  erection.  He  showed 
how  they  were  already  manufacturing  a  complete 
fertilizer;  how  Hmestone  mined  on  their  own  land 
was  being  reduced  into  merchantable  products;  how 
coal  needed  to  supply  their  enterprises  was  being 
taken  by  their  own  dredges  from  the  river  in  front 
of  the  farm.  He  took  them  to  see  the  handsome 
snowy-plumed  birds  at  the  ostrich  pens  and  showed 
them  the  extensive  fields  of  crops,  their  horses,  im- 
ported cattle  and  other  features,  all  of  which  spoke 
plainly  of  prosperity,  achievement  and  success. 

To  Peter's  five  friends  this  series  of  accomplish- 
ments seemed  wonderful — and  not  less  so  because 
the  work  was  being  carried  on  by  means  of  the  love, 
sympathy  and  harmony  which  co-operative  effort 
makes  possible. 

Max  Reinhart,  once  so  skeptical  of  Peter's  ideals, 
was  now  overwhelmed  at  the  magnitude  of  these 
results.  He  knew  at  once  that  Peter  had  learned 
the  great  secret  of  bettering  humanity.  Indeed,  he 
saw  that  his  college  chum  was  now  preaching  for  the 
very  conditions  for  which  formerly  he  had  not  had 
the  least  sympathy.  Moreover  Peter  was  urging 
his  appeal  with  such  earnestness  that  both  humble 
and  great  responded.  Max  realized  that  the  old  and 
provenly  ineffective  social  order  was  being  displaced 
by  a  sound  one.  Peter  had  put  his  theory  into 
practice.     He  not  only  demonstrated  to  his  fellow- 

3^3 


THE     O  STRICH 

men  a  great  truth,  but  he  made  it  possible  for  them 
to  act  according  to  that  truth  by  using  the  ostrich 
as  an  attracting  medium  and  a  tangible  thing  upon 
which  to  build.  Max  realized  that  the  magnitude 
of  the  work  and  what  it  had  cost  Peter  was  tremen- 
dous. 

Felix  likewise,  boy  though  he  was,  comprehended 
clearly  for  the  first  time  the  power  of  harmonious, 
collective  effort.  He  who  had  known  so  much  grief 
and  loneliness  felt  the  peace  and  serenity  of  the 
place  and  with  all  his  youthful  enthusiasm  he  pledged 
himself  to  devote  his  life  to  the  advancement  of  this 
new  work.  When  he  found  Peter  free  to  talk  it 
over,  he  begged  to  be  allowed  to  enlist  in  the  cause, 
and  permission  being  willingly  granted,  the  youth 
thus  began  his  work  for  humanity. 

Finally  obliged  to  leave  his  guests  to  their  own 
entertainment  for  a  short  time,  Peter,  on  his  return, 
came  upon  Ann  Newman  alone  in  the  apple  orchard 
at  the  farm,  her  hat  lying  upon  the  grass  near  her. 

Only  a  minute  before  she  had  left  the  others  at 
the  ostrich  pens.  Standing  where  the  sunlight  softly 
kissed  the  wind-blown  strands  of  her  lovely  hair, 
she  made  a  wonderful  picture  to  Peter's  eyes — a 
picture  which  caused  his  heart  to  throb  with  joy.  All 
through  the  period  of  his  journeyings  he  had 
constantly  carried  her  in  his  thoughts,  and  many 
times  he  had  dreamed  of  this  day  and  hour,  now 
arrived. 

314 


FULFILMENT 

She  had  spoken  only  a  little  since  they  had 
met,  but  that  pleased  him,  for  he  felt  that  her  reti- 
cence betokened  at  last  a  consciousness  of  self  in  his 
presence. 

Now  as  he  approached,  she  was  looking  away  across 
the  river  that  threaded  the  meadows  below  the  farm. 
She  did  not  hear  him  until  he  spoke : 

*'Ann,  Ann,  I  am  glad  I  have  found  you  at  last — 
and  alone!" 

She  turned,  her  eyes  serene  and  smiling. 

"I  am  glad  too,  Peter,"  she  said,  simply. 

*'Dear,"  he  went  on  abruptly,  but  with  an  ear- 
nestness which  his  trembling  voice  did  not  conceal, 
"I  have  done  my  best.  Have  I  not  succeeded?  It 
has  been  for  others,  Ann,  but  it  has  been  for  you, 
too,  Beloved.  And  now,  I  come  to  ask  my  reward. 
It  is  a  great  one.  I  want  you  to  marry  me.  I  want 
you  to  be  my  wife.  I  want  you  to  go  on  and  on, 
always  with  me.  I  need  you.  From  the  day  of  my 
great  awakening  in  Jerusalem  you  have  been  my 
inspiration.  Will  you  not  remain  the  incentive  of 
my  life?    Tell  me  that  you  will,  my  dear!" 

She  stood  with  her  eyes  looking  into  his. 

^'I  love  you,"  she  said  simply.  Then,  as  he  took 
a  step  toward  her:  "Because  of  your  unswerving 
loyalty  to  the  spirit  of  the  Call  of  the  Ages,  I  have 
always  been  with  you  in  heart.  A  power  stronger 
than  all  else  which  employed  you  as  the  instrument 
to  inaugurate  this  mighty  work,  has  bound  me  to 

315 


THE     O  STRICH 

you  forever."    Her  eyes  suddenly  fell  as  his  arms 
enfolded  her. 

''Sweetheart,"  he  said,  ''the  pathway  of  duty  and 
labor  for  others  lies  ahead,  but  its  tasks  shall  be 
pleasant,  for  we  shall  pursue  it  hand  in  hand — always 
together." 


316 


XXIV 
APPENDIX 

The  first  co-operative  store,  opened  in  Rochdale 
sixty-eight  years  ago,  has  resulted  in  co-operative 
stores,  banks,  factories  and  societies  everywhere. 
The  growth  of  co-operation  has  been  amazing. 

At  a  conservative  estimate  there  are  six  million 
co-operators  in  the  world  to-day,  representing  twenty- 
five  millions  of  people. 

Co-operative  effort,  generally  speaking,  is  divided 
into  four  departments  under  the  headings:  consumer's 
co-operation,  which  has  been  most  highly  developed 
in  Great  Britain;  credit  co-operation,  which  finds 
its  highest  development  in  the  co-operative  banks 
and  credit  societies  of  Germany;  workshop,  or  pro- 
ductive co-operation,  which  is  best  typified  by  the 
co-operators  of  France;  and  agricultural  co-operation, 
which  is  embodied  in  the  success  of  the  farmers  in 
Denmark. 

In  England  the  co-operative  movement  now  has 
a  membership  of  over  two  and  a  half  millions  of  people 
and  that  membership  is  increasing  at  the  rate  of 
from  75  to  loo  thousand  people  each  year. 

The  sales  of  the  co-operative  societies  of  England 

317 


THE    OSTRICH 

in  1910-11  amounted  to  over  557  million  dollars, 
an  increase  over  the  previous  year  of  more  than  13 
millions.  The  profits  for  the  year  1910-11  were  over 
60  millions. 

In  the  same  year  the  annual  report  of  the  Co- 
operative Congress  shows  that  over  48,738  people 
were  engaged  in  co-operative  production  in  England 
and  that  the  wages  which  they  received,  exclusive 
of  their  bonus,  was  over  13  million  dollars.  The 
total  production  of  the  co-operative  movement  in 
England,  that  is,  the  value  of  goods  that  were  made 
where  people  worked  in  co-operation,  amounted  to 
over  a  hundred  million  dollars. 

In  the  labor  copartnership  concerns  the  workers 
in  England  receive  the  agreed  wages  of  capital,  then 
they  receive  a  dividend  on  their  own  wages,  and 
if  they  are  purchasers  of  the  goods  which  they  pro- 
duce, they  receive  a  dividend  on  their  purchases. 
In  England  the  dividend  on  the  wages  of  those 
producing  co-operatively  is  about  25  cents  on  every 
pound  (about  $5)  which  they  earn. 

Co-operators  in  England  are  now  engaged  in  the 
production  of  many  industrial  commodities,  including 
cotton,  linen,  silk,  wool,  boots,  shoes,  leather  and 
hardware.  They  also  manufacture  building  mate- 
rials and  do  printing  and  binding  work.  In  19 10 
over  three  and  a  half  million  dollars  were  included 
in  the  co-operative  bakeshop  production  in  England 
and   Scotland   and  over  a   million   was  represented 

318 


APPENDIX 

by  the  co-operative  laundries  of  the  same  two 
countries. 

The  co-operative  retail  societies  in  England  stand 
for  an  enormous  financial  interest,  representing  more 
than  fifty  millions  of  profits  annually  with  that  sum 
increasing  every  year. 

The  English  Co-operative  Union,  Limited,  which 
includes  a  representation  of  about  all  the  co-operative 
societies  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  expends  fifty 
thousand  dollars  annually  in  the  pubfication  of  lit- 
erature and  in  exhibitions.  The  Co-operative  Union 
had  17,606  students  enrolled  in  the  year  1910-11. 
In  the  different  schools  such  studies  as  co-operation, 
industrial  history,  citizenship  and  economics  are 
taught  by  trained  teachers.  The  co-operative  em- 
ployees are  also  provided  with  training  courses  which 
include  classes  for  apprentices,  junior  employees, 
saleswomen  and  salesmen,  general  managers  and  high 
executives.  Besides  the  regular  courses,  the  Co- 
operative Union,  Limited,  provides  training  in  other 
ways.  There  are  classes  for  teachers;  there  are 
co-operative  circles  for  young  people;  there  are  co- 
operative trips  abroad  and  numerous  other  half 
recreative,  half  educational  departures  for  young  and 
old  alike. 

The  Raiffeison  Banks  and  the  Schulze-Delitzsch 
Banks  typify  the  co-operative  principle  as  it  is  ex- 
pressed in  Germany. 

These  two  forms  of  the  co-operative  bank,  while 

319 


THE     OSTRICH 

differing  in  method,  both  stand  for  what  is  known  as 
co-operative  credit  for  production. 

The  Raiffeison  banks  which  began  to  spread  in 
1880  are  now  counted  by  the  thousands  and  exist 
in  many  lands.  In  Germany  they  are  federated  in  a 
monster  union  which  has  a  general  agency  and 
also  a  great  central  bank  with  a  capitalization  of 
two  and  a  half  million  dollars.  It  is  said  that 
since  the  birth  of  the  Raiffeison  bank  neither  any  of 
its  members  nor  its  creditors  has  ever  lost  a  penny 
through  it. 

Franz  Hermann  Schulze  established  his  first  bank 
in  DeUtzsch,  Prussia,  with  the  idea  of  assisting  the 
small  mechanic  and  artisan  to  save  money.  Schulze, 
who  was  a  judge,  induced  a  number  of  craftsmen 
each  to  take  a  share  in  the  bank.  For  these  shares, 
costing  as  high  as  from  two  to  three  hundred  dol- 
lars, only  a  little  was  paid  down.  The  rest  became 
an  obligation  and  an  incentive  to  the  worker.  With 
this  backing,  the  bank  proceeded  to  receive  savings 
and  to  let  money  out  to  its  members  only,  at  the 
highest  rate  that  could  be  obtained.  At  stated 
times  the  profits  were  divided  among  the  co- 
operating shareholders.  These  banks  to-day  divide 
dividends  as  high  as  thirty  per  cent,  among  the 
co-operators. 

There  are  thirty  thousand  co-operative  credit  and 
building  societies  now  in  the  world.  Germany  has 
fifteen  thousand  local  credit  societies  and  sixty  central 

320 


APPENDIX 

co-operative  credit  associations  which  lend  nine  hun- 
dred million  dollars  a  year.  Italy,  Austria  and 
Hungary  have  many  of  these  banks. 

Sixteen  years  ago  it  was  estimated  that  750 
millions  were  being  loaned  in  Europe  on  the  co- 
operative credit  plan.  Eight  years  later  the  sums 
similarly  loaned  in  Europe  had  swelled  to  a  billion 
and  a  quarter. 

Even  in  Russia  a  central  co-operative  bank  ex- 
ists which  is  endowed  with  twelve  and  a  half  millions 
of  the  public  money. 

Besides  her  co-operative  banks,  Germany  is  mak- 
ing great  strides  in  co-operative  production  and  the 
estabhshment  of  co-operative  retail  societies.  The 
Central  Union  of  German  Retail  Societies  has  a 
million  and  a  quarter  members  and  its  total  sales 
amount  to  over  seventy-five  milHon  dollars  annually. 
One  of  the  features  of  this  Union  is  a  pension  fund 
to  which  already  5,000  co-operators  have  subscribed 
and  which  now  amounts  to  one  and  a  half  million 
marks  or  about  375  thousand  dollars.  The  first 
pensions  were  paid  in  191 1. 

The  Dutch  Co-operative  Union  is  represented  by 
about  55,000  co-operators,  and  last  year  the  sales 
of  its  wholesale  department  amounted  to  over  a 
million  and  a  quarter  dollars. 

The  farmers  of  Denmark  to-day  are  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  whole  world  by  their  success  in 
agricultural    co-operation.     From    once    being    the 

321 


THE     O  STRICH 

poorest  people,  the  Danes,  with  the  exception  of  the 
English,  are  now  the  richest,  in  proportion  to  their 
number,  of  any  people  in  Europe.  This  extraor- 
dinary rise  in  prosperity  is  universally  attributed  to 
the  success  of  the  co-operative  agricultural  societies 
in  Denmark.  Thirty  years  ago  Denmark  estab- 
lished its  first  co-operative  dairy.  There  are  now 
more  than  a  thousand  in  the  country.  Four-fifths 
of  its  great  milk  supply  is  gathered  and  distributed 
co-operatively.  Forty-five  million  dollars  is  the 
profit  on  butter  alone,  which  is  divided  among  those 
who  supply  the  cream,  in  proportion  to  the  amount 
that  they  supply.  Denmark  has  co-operative  so- 
cieties for  managing  the  business  of  collecting  and 
sending  to  market  eggs,  bacon,  fruit  and  honey,  and 
for  purchasing  fodders  and  manures.  Sometimes  a 
single  Danish  farmer,  in  order  to  the  better  dispose 
of  his  products  and  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  his 
profits,  which  co-operation  enables  him  to  do,  belongs 
to  as  many  as  ten  different  societies.  Besides 
that,  he  usually  belongs  to  one  or  more  farmers' 
clubs. 

France  has  many  co-operative  production  shops 
which  do  an  annual  business  of  millions  of  dollars  per 
year,  returning  to  the  workman,  not  only  his  wages, 
but  the  profit  dividend  on  his  wages.  Through 
co-operation  2,000  agricultural  co-operative  banks 
have  been  estabHshed  in  France.  Butter  factories 
and  distilleries  are  run  co-operatively  and  there  are 

322 


APPENDIX 

co-operative  associations  for  threshing  and  for  the 
sale  of  fruit,  wine  and  oil.  France  also  has,  as  a 
result  of  her  co-operative  societies,  8,000  mutual 
insurance  societies. 

Belgium  is  noted  for  its  extensive  co-operative 
bakeries  and  its  distributive  societies,  shared  in  by 
thousands  of  co-operative  workingmen. 

One  of  the  features  of  Italy's  co-operative  methods 
is  the  co-operative  labor  gang  whereby  bodies  of 
workmen  associate  together  and  contract  to  under- 
take great  projects.  Italy  has  2,000  co-operative 
societies. 

In  1910  the  societies  alKed  with  the  Norway 
co-operative  organization  made  a  net  profit  of 
$100,000,  small  when  compared  with  the  figures  of 
co-operative  profit  in  some  other  countries,  but 
showing  an  increase  of  nearly  a  half  over  the  amount 
of  business  done  the  preceding  year. 

As  in  Denmark,  Sweden's  co-operative  movement 
is  largely  expressed  in  the  agricultural  co-operative 
idea.  There  are  about  700  co-operative  retail  so- 
cieties there,  however. 

Switzerland  showed  an  increase  of  over  a  million 
dollars,  or  29  per  cent.,  in  its  co-operative  business  in 
1 9 10  and  this  increase  is  steadily  continuing.  The 
Swiss  co-operators  have  a  printing  society  and  an 
inquiry  office,  schools  where  teachers  and  managers 
are  trained  and  the  principles  of  co-operation  taught. 
The  Swiss  co-operators  also  print  four  newspapers 


THE     O  STRICH 

and  are  continually  visiting  among  each  other  and 
studying  co-operative  methods. 

Japan  has  7,000  co-operative  societies. 

Roumania  is  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  co-opera- 
tion. Credit  banks  and  distributive  societies  by  the 
hundreds  have  sprung  up  there. 


324 


i 


7V^ 


